By PATRICK OMORODION

The Flying Eagles made history at the FIFA U-20 World Cup with their slim 1-0 victory over England, making it four over four, a morale booster which they really need as they battle  Les Bleuets of France in the second of today’s quarter-finals in the Colombian city of Cali.

Their coach, John Obuh was not a happy man despite conquering England in the round of 16 and he hopes to plug all the loopholes as they play France who equally made history, winning all of their round of 16 ties in the competition’s history.

One fact steers them in the face though, that is their inability to win any quarter final match in previous competitions. In 1997 in Malaysia and 2001 in Argentina, they were stopped by the South American duo of Uruguay and Argentina respectively.

For the Flying Eagles, they have reached five previous quarter-finals, winning three and losing two, one which against Mali on home soil in 1999. This Obuh does not want repeated and would ensure the defence is as water-tight as possible.

With an impregnable defence, the trio of  Ahmed Musa, Edafe Egbedi and captain Olarenwaju Kayode who have three goals each to their credit to place among the top contenders for the Golden Shoe award, would turn a torn for the French defenders.

Confidence level in the Flying Eagles has soared in the team’s camp and the players are already singing  eureka, believing France would fall today to give them a chance to vie as the successor of Ghana’s Black Satellites who failed to defend the title they won two years ago in Egypt.

With Egbedi already dreaming to top the scorers chat and Kayode brimming from with smiles at his new found scoring form, the Francis Smerecki-tutored French side may have their hands full against the African champions.

An elated Kayode told fifa.com after the hard fought victory over England that “I’m pleased with my football, but I can still play even better. I didn’t score against England, though I was involved in our winner. I’m going to have another great game against France in the quarter-finals: I know I’m capable of scoring against anyone.”

Obuh must however, watch this French team who bounced back after a woeful 1 – 4 opener against  host Colombia as they are said to have high fitness level and could stand the Flying Eagles grit for grit. They are known for finishing powerfully, accounting for why five of the seven goals they have scored in the competition came in the last 20 minutes.

Captain of the French team, Gueida Fofana told fifas.com that they would need to keep possession  of the ball to be able to stand the much stronger Nigerians who he confessed they know little about.
“We don’t know much about Nigeria, but they’re an African side so will be physically very strong. We’re going to need to keep possession better,” Fofana said