16th July, 2011
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have landed in Panama ahead of the Four-Nation Invitational Tournament tagged “President Cup”.
A radio report monitored in Lagos has it that the Nigerian team, which comprise 22 players and 10 officials, hit Panama early today just in time to settle down for the tournament, which will feature the hosts, Panama, Portugal and Mexico.
They were lodged at the Panama Hotel, a fiver- star hotel with modern facilities for the players and officials to have a feel of the country’s hospitality.
The Flying Eagles are scheduled to play their first match of the invitational tourney on Monday night against the hosts’ Under-20 side, before further matches against Portugal and Mexico on Wednesday and Friday respectively.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian team will fly out of Panama City straight to Armenia, venue of their first two Group D games, of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia on Sunday, 24 July, where they will stay at the Hotel Campestre Las Camelias.
Nigerians back home will have to stay awake till the early hours to watch the Flying Eagles matches, with their earliest game coming against Guatemala at 10 p.m. Nigerian time on 31 July.
Their next two group games, against Croatia and Saudi Arabia, come up at 3a.m. Nigerian time on 3 August and 6 August respectively.
By Taiwo Adelu