Football fans in Ebonyi have described the Flying Eagles victory at the West African Football Union (WAFU) zone B competition on Friday as a ‘soothing balm’ on the football pysche of Nigerians.
The nation’s male U-20 team defeated the young Squirrels of Benin Republic 3-1in Niamey, Niger Republic to win the competition, to emerge the third champions of the bi-ennal tournament.
The Eagles, alongside the young squirrels, thus qualified for the African Youth championship in Egypt in February 2023 for a slot in the World Youth Championship in Indonesia.
The fans who spoke to NAN on Saturday in Abakaliki, congratulated the Eagles, noting that they somewhat brought the minds of soccer fans back to football.
Hillary Ogbonna, Chief Coach of newly formed Salt City Football Club of Abakaliki, said the victory would assuage the feelings of soccer fans after the Super Eagles failure to qualify for the Qatar 2022 world cup
.“The WAFU competition might not be in the class of the world cup but the victory will make the fans believe in their national teams again.
“I am sure that even those who angrily vandalised the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja, when the super eagles flopped against Ghana, would have something to cheer,” he said.