February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Jay Mwamba
Damien Duff’s heroics against hapless Australia in Ibadan last weekend — setting up a goal and bagging another in the Republic’s 4-0 romp — secured Ireland’s second victory in the World Youth Cup and booked the European champs a Round of 16 date with mercurial hosts Nigeria in Kano today.
It’s unlikely to be as daunting an assignment as it appears for Ireland, who rebounded from that opening 1-0 loss to Mexico in Group C to win their next two matches against Saudi Arabia (2-0) and Australia.
The Nigerians only scrapped through to the next round after Germany slumped to a surprise 2-1 loss to Costa Rica in Lagos at the weekend.
Nigeria, who got off to a shaky start in Group A, tying 1-1 with unfancied Costa Rica on April 3, looked awesome in dispatching the Germans 2-0 last week. But that was before they unraveled against Paraguay on Saturday, losing the match 2-1 and seeing their coach, Tunde Disu, sacked on the spot at the National Stadium in Lagos. Disu was quickly replaced by Dutchman Thys Libregts, coach of Nigeria’s senior squad.
The defeat by Paraguay left Nigeria’s survival hinging on the outcome of the Germany-Costa Rica game. To the West Africans’ relief, the Germans lost, allowing them to advance as runners-up to Paraguay.
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