Nigeria’s U20 men’s national team, the Flying Eagles, have landed in Accra, Ghana, ahead of the 2024 WAFU B U20 Championship scheduled to run from July 10 to 23.
The tournament, initially planned as a joint WAFU A and B event, has reverted to a WAFU B-only competition, with the Ghanaian capital hosting all participating teams.
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In preparation for the regional tournament and the upcoming FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile later this year, Flying Eagles Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu has strengthened his squad with seven new players.
The new faces include Bayelsa United goalkeeper Clinton Andy; defenders Abba Sadiq, Ahmed Akinyele, and Marvelous Freedom; midfielder Abduljelil Kamaldeen; and forwards Imrana Muhammad and Qudus Olayiwola.
Coach Zubairu retained a solid core of players who helped Nigeria to a third-place finish at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt earlier this year—a performance that secured the team’s place at the FIFA U20 World Cup.
Skipper Daniel Bameyi headlines a 20-man squad, which also features promising talents such as goalkeeper Ifeanyi Ebenezer Harcourt, defender Odinaka Okoro, and midfielders Bidemi Amole, Ezekiel Kpangu, Divine Oliseh, and Tahir Maigana.
Nigeria, champions of the last two editions of the WAFU B U20 Championship (in Niger Republic and Togo), will open their Group A campaign against hosts Ghana on Thursday, July 10, at the Prampram Centre in Accra. Their second group game will be against Benin Republic on Sunday, July 13.
Nigeria Flying Eagles Squad for 2024 WAFU B U20 Championship:
Goalkeepers:
Ifeanyi Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos)
Clinton Andy (Bayelsa United)
Defenders:
Abba Khalid Sadiq (Niger Tornadoes)
Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos)
Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United)
Akinniran Oluwashile (Water FC)
Ahmed Akinyele (Remo Stars)
Marvelous Freedom (Ikorodu City)
Midfielders:
Divine Oliseh (Forster Academy)
Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire FC)
Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC)
Ezekiel Kpangu (Inspire Academy)
Rawa Mohammed (Beyond Limits)
Matthew Kingsley (Kings FC)
Abduljelil Kamaldeen (Kwara Football Academy)
Shafiu Adamu Duguri (Wikki Tourists)
Forwards:
Abdullahi Muhammed (Kwara United)
Godday Otalyul-Imbus (Calabar Rovers)
Imrana Muhammad (Mavlon FC)
Qudus Olayiwola (P Sport FC)
The Flying Eagles continue their build-up to the FIFA U20 World Cup, using the WAFU tournament to assess team depth and readiness on the continental stage.
