‘Flying Eagles Still Have Lots Of Work To Do’ —Udeze

Former Nigeria international Ifeanyi Udeze says the Flying Eagles still have a lot of work to do despite winning the 2022 WAFU Zone B tournament in Niger Republic.

The Flying Eagles beat Benin Republic 3-1 in the final to be crowned champions of the regional competition.

Both the Flying Eagles and Benin Republic will represent the Zone B at next year’s U-20 Africa Cup of National in Egypt.

But Udeze stated that a lot still need to be done as the team look forward to the qualifying tournament for the World Cup.

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“The kudos I will give the Flying Eagles is that there was no much time to prepare for the WAFU B tournament,” Udeze said on Brila FM.

“The coaches only had three weeks to assemble the players and they still went there to perform and I give them kudos for that.

“But there is still lots of work to be done because the U-20 AFCON is around the corner and that’s the qualifiers for the World Cup. So like I said there is still a lot of work to be done, let’s just wish them all the best.“

The Flying Eagles would hope to make it a record-extending eight title at the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations when hostilities kick off in Egypt next year.

They won the U-20 title in four consecutive years in 1993, 1985, 1987, 1989 before adding three more in 2005, 2011 and 2015.

In 1999 and 2007 the Flying finished runner-up, losing to Ghana and Congo Brazzaville who were hosts on both occasions.

And the Flying Eagles have won third-place five times which were in 1979, 1981, 1995, 2009 and 2013.

And at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the team finished second two times, in 1989 where they lost 2-0 to Portugal and 2005 after 2-1 to Argentina.

And the Flying Eagles became the first African team ever to win a medal at a FIFA competition, after placing third at the 1985 U-20 World Cup in the former Soviet Union.

History Of The CAF U-20 AFCON

From 1979 until 1989, the African representatives to the U-20 World Cup were determined purely on a home and away qualifying basis without a final tournament, with the African champions determined through the same qualification.

Since 1991 there has been a qualifying stage followed by a final tournament played by eight teams in a chosen country.

On 6 August 2015, the CAF Executive Committee decided to change the name of the tournament from the African Youth Championship to the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, similar to the senior’s version, Africa Cup of Nations.