Cameroon To Decide Nigeria’s Fate for U-20 World Youth Cup

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By Tayo Adelaja

Published: October 4, 2009

Cameroon To Decide Nigeria’s Fate for U-20 World Youth Cup

In a twist of fate a country once proud of her array of stars, will have to depend on the misfortune of another country to qualify for a FIFA world tourney.

The senior national team, Super Eagles, want Tunisia to slip in one of the two qualifying games for the country to play in next year’s World Cup in South Africa. Despite beating hapless Tahiti 5-0 in their last group game at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, Samson Siasia and his boys have to wait till the last rounds of matches to know whether they will make the round of 16.

The Nigerian team has to pray specifically that Cameroon, who is playing in Group C, lose their last match to Germany. According to the permutations, Cameroun needs to lose to Germany by any score margin so that their goals difference would be less than that of the Flying Eagles, which stands at +2.

With three points from three matches, the Nigerian lads finished third place behind Spain and Venezuela, which ended the first round with 9 and 6 points each. Technically, the Flying Eagles should be on their way back to Nigeria but for competition rules, which makes provision for the best four third-placed teams to join the first two in each of the six groups.

Had the Nigerian players, who wasted chance after chance managed to score up to the eight goals, their position would have been a bit clearer. As it is, they have to wait till the end of Germany vs Cameroon match tomorrow at Ismaila Stadium to know whether they will continue in the tournament or go back home.

Siasia has not lost hope yet; he looks forward to a surprise qualification. “I told my lads just to go out and win the game against Tahiti, and score as many goals as they could.

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