Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will begin their quest for a record eighth African title and a place at the World Cup in Poland when they face Burundi in their opening game at the 2019 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (U-20 AFCON) in Niger on Saturday, Completesports.com reports.
The Group A encounter is billed for the Stade Seyni Kountche, Niamey.
The Flying Eagles will also face South Africa on Tuesday, February 5 and the hosts Niger Republic on Friday, February 8.
The West Africans last won the title in 2015 but failed to qualify for the last edition of the competition in Zambia after losing to Sudan via away goal
after a 5-5 tie on aggregate.
Paul Aigbogun’ s men had a near perfect qualifying campaign edging out Mauritania and Equatorial Guinea
Also Read: CHAN 2020 Qualifiers: Nigeria To Face Either Togo Or Benin
The former Enyimba and Warri Wolves coach has stated that his team’s first priority is to secure the World Cup ticket.
“We must first plan on earning a ticket to the World Cup finals,” Aigbogun stated before the team’s departure for Niamey on Thursday.
“There would definitely be no margin for error in the first two matches. Once we are able to secure maximum points from the first two matches, we would have one leg at the World Cup.
“Afterwards, we would then begin to plan for the trophy. Focus and tactics must be for one match at a time. We cannot afford to falter.”
The 2019 U-20 AFCON Group B is made up of Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana.
The top two teams from each group will advance into the semi-finals of the competition and also secure qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will be held in Poland in May and June.
By Adeboye Amosu
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COMMENTS
Goodness gracious me! I can’t believe what I am seeing.
Kindly find below the flying eagles squad to the 2015 Under 20 world cup (4 years ago).
I am looking at the faces of the flying eagles class of 2019 and some of them look older than Kelechi Iheanacho or Wilfred Ndidi (who both featured in the u-21 world cup of 2015).
How come?
Although Iheanacho and co crashed out the knockout phase of that world cup, I was proud – even elated – to see fresh-faced youngsters represent us.
Now what do we have?
Let’s face it, I cannot independently verify these guys ages but if being a Nigerian, with the ability to tell the approximate age of my own people, counts then I can ‘ speculate ‘ that these guys do not look like under 21s at all – mba. I won’t allow a wool to be pulled over my eyes.
Nigeria squad to 2015 u-21 world cup:
Joshua Enaholo 24 July 199
Musa Muhammed 31 October 1996
Mustapha Abdullahi 18 January 1996
Akinjide Idowu 9 September 1996 Wilfred Ndidi 16 December 1996
Prince Izu Omego Bernard Bulbwa 11 October 1996
Kingsley Sokari 30 May 1995
Isaac Success 7 January 1996 Kelechi Iheanacho 3 October 1996
Musa Yahaya 16 December 1996
Ifeanyi Ifeanyi 15 August 1995
Saviour Godwin 22 August 1996
Chidiebere Nwakali 26 December 1996 (
Ifeanyi Matthew 20 January 1997 (aged
Dele Alampasu 24 December 1996 (aged
Chidera Eze
Taiwo Awoniyi 12 August 1997
Zaharaddeen Bello 17 December 1997
Moses Simon 12 July 1995
Olorunleke Ojo 17 August 1995
I hope you are not counting the pot bellied ones as players though hahaha. They should be technical crew members. But you are right, this year’s selection seems to be fraught with so much corruption. Quality players getting dropped arbitrarily and getting replaced by some strange untested names. May God help us.