Okay, so I got a couple of videos uploaded from the match... here is the first goal: And here is the third goal, Muhammed Musa's free kick... Can anyone guess which one is me?
Hee hee nope... they wouldn't let me go in with the camera, in fact had to go all the way back to the hotel to return it. Fortunately, I'm so used to Gulf-style organization of sporting events I was smart enough to show up with ample time to spare, a good hour before the 3rd place game kicked off, so was able to get back in time right when the 3rd place game started... I know some people though that had booked tickets and couldn't even get in some half an hour before kickoff time.
okay here's a thrid vidoe... it's a combination of the 3 goals + some pther stuff... really mostly just the crowd going crazy and me trying to keep the camera still but there's some footy footage on there..
No, I said "probably" since apparently they didn't do that MRI shit back then, and Nigeria used an overage player in the 2011 U-20, so they were more than capable of cheating just a few years ago. I don't believe the current U-17s used overage players, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's revealed they used some 20 year olds down the road. This is beating a dead horse but your post was dumb so I had to say something.
No it is true, African Nations that wins a World Cup never get the credit like Ghana did a couple of years ago when they won U21 World Cup.
I think Ghana did get a lot of credit for that win - the only thing that hampered that win was that it was a team display, not one where specific players truely shined through. And we all have to ensure that Nigeria get as much credit as they deserve for this win: a lot as it was the most dominant display of football at this tournament (ever?). But in order to do this you have to accept that Nigeria has a history of age cheating.
First, I think you overestimate how much "credit" anyone gets for winning youth championships. I enjoy watching them, but they aren't particularly prestigious. Second, the perception that African nations cheat in youth tournaments doesn't stem from racism; it comes from the long history of African nations being caught cheating. In 1999, the head of the Nigerian FA admitted that Nigeria had routinely used underage players. South Africa had a 24 year old participate in a u15 event. Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon and others have all been caught in the last 20 years. I have no particular reason to doubt the Ghanian u20 victory, or this years Nigerian u17 victory. But to the extent people do doubt them, they have no one but themselves to blame.
Inasmuch as I agree with your post: you have very particular reasons to be assured that this years squad was truely U17. The Nigerian FA really went out of its way to ensure the squad is U17 and the weight of proof is overwhelming. Thats why one really has to underline that this U17 is without a shadow of a doubt an U17 squad. For god sakes, they even threw out a supremely talented kid with a US birth certificate because he failed the MRI test!
I do not put much credit in u17 tournaments , because players in this age group rarely put up, and yes people have every right to doubt about Nigeria early victories, however I'm surprised to see Mexicans fans acting indignant. It's not like if Mexico didn't have it's own history of age cheating. Remember what happened several years ago when the FMF field overaged players for an u21 Wc qualification. The FMF went as far as branding those who leaked the story as "traitors". Their age cheating history might not be as bad as Nigeria, and also they paid for it, but historically, in that matter they are far from being parangons of virtue either.
We did it once over 20 years ago, and paid for it dearly. Never did it again, unlike Nigeria.. Also Nigeria never got the hammer thrown down on them like Mexico where they had to miss a WC.
If we've only been caught once in 20 + years we have some damn good ways of covering it up, the Nigerians might want to know our secret!
even if he did not have a point, it still wouldnt be racism, more like prejudice against Africa. After all, there are plenty of teams in the rest of the world with lots of black players.