Nigeria Vs Congo: Flying Eagles Target World Cup Ticket

Flying Eagles will face Congo in their second game of the African Youth Championship in Senegal on Wednesday as both teams seek passage into the semifinal and an automatic place at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Kick-off time at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor in Dakar is 4.30pm local time,  (5.30pm Nigerian time).

On Sunday, Nigeria defeated hosts Senegal 3-1 in the opening game, while Congo forced Cote d’Ivoire to a 1-1 draw in the second game in Group A.

A win for the Flying Eagles will thus lift them to the last four even before their final group game against Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday in Mbour.

Both teams have met once at this level, in the championship game of the 2007 edition which Congo won 1-0.

This is a chance for Nigeria to avenge that defeat and book a place in the semifinal as well as the World Cup in New Zealand in May.

Two-goal hero against Senegal Taiwo Awoniyi will again be the man expected to unlock a highly disciplined Congo defence on Wednesday.  Congo have participated in this competition just once before now as hosts in 2007 and won.

They parade as many as five full internationals at Senegal 2015, which include Hardy Binguila and AS Vita striker Georges Kader Bidimbou, who scored thrice to dump defending champions Egypt in the final round of qualifiers.

Former Flying Eagles captain AbdulJeleel Ajagun told AfricanFootball.com he believes the team will see off Congo, but they should focus on the game and forget they won the first game.

“They are a good side. I will advise the players to forget about the first match which they won against Senegal and be focused on the one against Congo,” Ajagun told AfricanFootball.com.