27th April, 2022
By Muhyideen Jimoh/ Abuja
Nigeria’s national U-20 men’s football team, the Flying Eagles, will on Thursday depart Abuja for the WAFU B U-20 championships in Niamey, Niger Republic.
Head coach of the team, Ladan Bosso has selected 30 players after more than a week’s training in Abuja.
The biannual WAFU tournament, which serves as qualification for the U-20 AFCON in Egypt, 2023, will hold from May 7 till May 20 in Niamey.
The Flying Eagles, seven-time African champions, are in Group B alongside perennial rivals Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Hosts, Niger Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin Republic would do battle in Group A.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi finals of the competition and only the two finalists would qualify for Egypt.
The players selected include: Goalkeepers: Nathaniel Nwosu (Water FC); Chijioke Aniagboso (Giant Brillars); Saheed Jimoh (Adoration FC)
Defenders: Opeyemi Omooloyi (Akure City); Abubakar Babaji (Niger Tornadoes); Lekan Oyedele (Remo Stars); Oluwatosin Adegbite (Enyimba FC); Augustine Njoku (Abia Warriors); Chikezie Okolie (Giant Brillars); David Sholumade (Akwa United); Benjamin Frederick (ABS FC)
Midfielders: Anas Hassan (Vandrezzer FC); Daniel Daga (FC One Rocket); Oluwaseyi Falodun (Jossy United); Samson Lawal (Katsina United); Onuche Ogbelu (Fosla Academy); Muhammad Aminu (Gombe United); Muhammad Shehu (Katsina United); Frederick Godwin (City FC)
Forwards: Adams Olubi (FK Zalgris Vilnius, Lithuania); Tolulope Ojo (Remo Stars); Ibrahim Muhammad (Maikunkele FC); Ibrahim Yahaya (Gombe United); Rilwanu Haliru Sarki (Mahanaim FC); Divine Nwachukwu (Adoration FC); Ahmed Abdullahi (HB Academy); Abdullahi Adam (Nasarawa United); Albert Hilary (Plateau United).
The team would play a couple of friendly matches in Niamey before the final squad would be announced for the competition