From George Aluo, Praia
Head coach of Bayelsa Restoration Starlets, Tiebowei Diepreye is confident his team would end the tournament on a good note when they face Deportivo of Coted’Ivoire in the bronze medal game on Saturday inside the Estadio Versea, Praia.
Diepreye who is still writhing in the pains of the 0-2 loss to Volcan Junior in Thursday’s semi final said he has started psyching up his boys ahead of the third place tie insisting that finishing third would be some form of consolation.
“We came here with the trophy as our target. Unfortunately, we lost out in the semi final. I have told the boys to cheer up and come out forcefully against Deportivo. We have to fight and play the third place game the same way we would have approached the final. Finishing third would be good for the lads.”
Diepreye said given the very short period the Starlets came together before hitting Cape Verde, reaching the semi finals is something to be proud of.
“I put this team together in seven days and here we are playing soccer academies that are together. It showed in the way we played. The boys did their best and deserve kudos. At this stage of the game, the boys are prune to making mistakes. They go into the field and easily get carried away. One or two of such mistakes, you are punished by your opponent. This was what happened to us against Volcan Junior,” Diepreye said.
The highly knowledgeable tactician commended the Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson for giving the team the opportunity to showcase themselves to the world in the Africa Youth Cup tournament, pointing out that competing in the tournament is an experience the players would live to remember, even as they aspire to become successful footballers.
“I say a big thank you to Dickson. This is what governance is all about. The boys are getting back home with an exposure that would help them in life. Go and mark my words, some of the players here would make waves in the game in another couple of years,” Diepreye said.
