Nigeria full-back Yahaya Lawali says little details made the difference for them as they started their U17 Africa Cup of Nations, Algeria 2023 campaign on a positive note, winning 1-0 against Zambia.
Lawali was named man of the match after his splendid performance down the right wing for the Golden Eaglets and he was elated with the recognition, which he says spurs him to do better in the next match.
“I am really delighted and this means a lot to me. Being named man of the match in the first game for the team is a massive encouragement,” Lawal said.
He added; “This is not my trophy though. It belongs to the team; the coaches, the staff and my teammates. We all worked hard for this.”
Lawali says they had to put in a decent fight against Zambia, who he says were a tough team.
“It was a really tough game because Zambia are a good side. The little details gave us a win today. We scored when it mattered most and we defended well. It has given us motivation for the next gamne,” he noted.
Lawali, who turns 17 in June, plays for Mahanaim FC in Nigeria.
