NIGERIA team to the 2012 Milo African U-13 Championship finished fourth out of five, but the team’s goalkeeper, Peter Bassey was crowned the best goalkeeper of the competition.
Nigeria entered the biennial competition as the defending champions following the cup they won at the maiden edition held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2010.
The spectacular saves and the sharp reflex of the lad from St. Stephen’s Primary School, Lagos Island, Lagos made up for the entire Nigerian team’s disappointment, as they could not reach the target they had set for themselves in the tourney that ended at the El Wak Sports Stadium on Friday night.
After finishing top of Group B on Thursday, the Nigeria team lost to South Africa via penalty shootout as their encounter ended goalless at full time.
The loss brought them into the third place match against Sierra Leone on Friday and the match ended 1-1 at full time.
The Sierra Leoneans shot into the lead midway into the second half but the Nigerian kids equalised with less than two minutes of the regulation time left. The resultant penalty shoot-out ended in Sierra Leone’s favour.
Ironically Nigeria defeated Sierra Leone 3-0 in their opening Group B match on Thursday and capped the excellent start on the day with a 6-0 drill of Kenya. The Nigerians were then tipped to win the trophy or at least play the final match against Ghana.
Hosts Ghana won the competition after beating South Africa 4-0 in the final match.
The Ghanaians, who had clear size advantage over the other four teams dominated the competition scoring 19 goals in four matches while conceding none. Axole Gladile of South Africa was voted as the Most Valuable Player.
The competition is designed for only the five African countries where Nestle have their major operations to help develop the kids for the future. Liberia was the fifth country in Ghana.