Nigeria’s youth national team, Flying Eagles are bracing for an explosive showdown with Ghana’s Black Satellites at the start of their campaign in this year’s West African Football Union (WAFU)-B U-20 Championship, which starts at the coming weekend in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
READ ALSO: WAFU B U20 Tourney: Flying Eagles Land in Yamoussoukro for WAFU B Championship Title Defence
Sports247 reports that Coach Abdul Maikaba’s squad sre already aiming for a bright start to their campaign, knowing that it is the qualification competition towards the African U-20 Cup of Nations and ultimately to the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Maikaba’s squad, who travelled out of Nigeria, are defending champions of the WAFU-B Cup, but they fell short of continental glory last time out, hence their determination to start well at the sub-regional level and set the tone for greater things to come in their flight towards global resurrection.
A press release by the communications department of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) stated in part, “The Flying Eagles will kick-off their WAFU B title defence against the Black Satellites of Ghana on 27th July at the prestigious Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro in Côte d’Ivoire.
“The match, which is a repeat of the 2024 final in Lome, in which the Flying Eagles defeated the Satellites 2-1 to emerge champions, will kick off at 2pm local time (3pm Nigeria time ).
“Matchday 2 on 30th July will see the seven-time African champions trade tackles with Junior Sparrow Hawks of Togo at the same Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro. The game is scheduled to get underway at 2pm local time (3pm Nigeria time).
“The Cup-holders will wrap up their Group B matches against Young Stallions of Burkina Faso on the 2nd August also at the Lycée Scientifique, with kick-off time scheduled at 2pm local time (3pm Nigeria time).”
Sports247 gathered further that the players have settled down in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire, after first landing in the capital, Abidjan on Monday; and they are now lodged at Trio Corridor Hotel, ahead of their opening game against Ghana’s Black Satellites on Monday.
FIXTURES
🇳🇬 vs Ghana – Sun 27 July, 3PM
🇳🇬 vs Togo – Wed 30 July, 3PM
🇳🇬 vs Burkina Faso – Sat 2 Aug, 3PM
All matches at Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
FLYING EAGLES’ PLAYERS
Lawani Clinton (Sporting Lagos) Olayemi Ayinla (Warri Wolves); Wahab Musa (FC Malaga); Timilehin Agbonjimi (FC Ablaze); Odinaka Alfred (Aseami Academy); Somto Nnoli (Akwa United); Samson Joshua (Galadima FC); Ebrima Manneh (Sporting Supreme); Abdoulaye Agbeloye (Grassrunner FC); Habila Simeon (Golden Boot Soccer Academy); Imrana Muhammad (Deportivo Alaves); Saifullahi Yusuf (Wikki Tourists); Israel Samuel (Abia Warriors); Sani Shuaibu (Wikki Tourists); Oraro Lucky (Warri Wolves); Rufai Abubakar (NK Istra 1961); Auwal Muhammad (Bichi First); Jamilu Yusuf (Junior Danburan); Adamu Hussaini (Barau FC); Abdulmuiz Adeleke (Sporting Supreme); Abdullahi Ele (JMD FC); Gift Subi (P Sport Academy); Aminu Yusuf (Kano Pillars).
