Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are expected to face tough oppositions in their first match in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt, as Venezuela coach has vowed to make things unbearable for the Coach Samson Siasia boys on Friday.
The coach, who also handles his country’s senior team in the 2010 World Cup qualifier, promised to present the best team ever in the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt. He said his team had what it takes to rule the world.
"We always believed that we could do it. I can sleep easily because I didn't let the players down. I told them that we'd reach the World Cup in Egypt and we managed it. We've got a team with the desire to achieve great things and against Nigeria on Friday, the world will see a determined young team with zeal to make name for themselves and the country," he said.
He said they were not afraid of the Nigerian team because they had been following all their trial matches before now.
Venezuela's shock qualification for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, ‘Egypt 2009’ will go down as one of the country's biggest football achievement to date.
Under the steady hand of Coach Farias, who is also in charge of the Vinotinto senior side, the hard-working Venezuelans produced the goods on home soil, qualifying ahead of the likes of six-time world Under-20 champions, Argentina.
Venezuela got their South American Under-20 Championship bid off to a perfect start when they finished top of their first-round group, before following up with a 2–1 victory over Colombia in their opening six-team final round encounter. Successive 3–0 defeats by Paraguay and Brazil put their Egyptian dream in jeopardy, but a 1–1 draw with Argentina and 3–1 win over Uruguay in their final match sealed fourth place and a qualifying berth for the Vinotinto. Of their nine matches, they won three, drew four and lost two, scoring 11 goals and conceding 12 in the process.
Farias's fleeting professional career as a creative midfielder, which took in just 10 games at Monagas in 1992, only served to underline his determination to succeed as a coach. Indeed, within a year, he had taken the helm at the recently formed Nueva Cadiz, where he won titles with the club's Under-17 and Under-20 teams. From there, he enjoyed successful spells at various Venezuelan top-flight clubs, before coming to international prominence when he led Deportivo Tachira to the quarterfinals of the 2004 Copa Libertadores, where they lost to Brazilian heavyweights, Sao Paulo. In 2007, while in charge of Deportivo Anzoategui, he accepted an offer to become Venezuela’s senior national team coach. He was the only senior coach to lead a side at the Sudamericano.
Star players:
At just 19 years of age, goalkeeper Rafael Romo is already a full-fledged football icon in Venezuela. Born on February 25, 1990, his late penalty save against Colombia in the Vinotinto's last match of the first group phase at the Sudamericano, proved decisive in ensuring his team's place in the final six-team round. Outstanding final-round displays against Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay also played a major part in his country’s qualification for Egypt 2009, while his assets include agility, sharp reflexes and surprisingly good feet for a player measuring 1.97m (over 6'4").
Other Venezuelan men to watch are defender Jose Manuel Velasquez, midfielder Jonathan Del Valle and forward Jose Salomon Rondon.
From Sport desk
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