Balogun advises Eaglets to be cautious against Niger

A sport analyst, Tayo Balogun, on Tuesday advised the Golden Eaglets to play cautiously in their match against Niger Republic in the ongoing U-17 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Balogun, who gave the advice in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, said that the semi-final match was crucial and sensitive.

The Golden Eaglets will lock horns with their Niger counterparts on Sept. 12 by 7p.m. Nigerian time.

‘‘They should play their game with caution and adequate respect for the opponents; they should open up their opponents by using the wings,” Balogun said.

The sport analyst urged the Eaglets’ handlers to present the same team that defeated Cote d’Ivoire in the match.

‘‘We scored seven goals in two matches while conceding four; this shows a team whose strength  is in the attack.

‘‘We should go with the same players that featured against Cote d’Ivoire.

‘‘Niger played draws against Ghana and Togo, and this shows they would buckle against a high pressing side like the Eaglets,’’ Balogun said.

Recall that the Golden Eaglets lost 2-3 to Burkina Faso in their opening game and won Cote d’Ivoire by 5-1 in their second game.

The Golden Eaglets are optimistic of making a return to the global stage by qualifying for Tanzania 2019.