The Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick, has charged the Golden Eaglets to successfully defend the FIFA U-17 World Cup against African champions Mali on Sunday.

Pinnick was in the stands as the Eaglets defeated hard–fighting Mexico 4-2 in Concepcion to reach the final of the tournament in Chile, africanFootball.com reports.

Pinnick barely had time to catch his breath from a long trip that took him from London to Buenos Aires and Santiago before arriving in Concepcion.

But he was in time to meet the players at the Diego de Almagro Hotels before they set out to the Estadio Municipal Ester Roa.

“These boys have done Nigeria proud. They will go up against Mali on Sunday with great confidence and discipline, and emerge victorious,” he stated.

“I’m very excited, not only with the result, but the way the boys came fighting back after that early goal by Mexico. I keep saying that we have the potential to be world champions in several areas of endeavour,” he said.