Flying Eagles coach Aliyu Zubairu is excited that his boys are riding on an immense psychological wavelength ahead of Nigeria’s Under 20 AFCON opener on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
Buoyed by a 2-1 friendly win over hosts Egypt recently, the Nigerian team will play their Tunisian opponents in the opening Group C tie at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
“That result has provided a good impetus for us as we prepare to face the Tunisians – another North African opposition. You need a result like that when preparing for a competition like this. It does not mean that we will rest on our oars; it only serves to give us much-needed confidence and ginger us to face our challenges better,” Zubairu pointed out.
“We will go for the maximum points against the Tunisians and then take it one step at a time as we forge ahead.”
After Thursday’s battle with Tunisia’s Junior Carthage Eagles, the seven-time African champions Nigeria will be up against 1997 hosts and winners Morocco, also at the 30 June Stadium, before wrapping up their group campaign against Kenya.
Forty years ago, the boys from Carthage were the victims as the Flying Eagles won the second of their seven African titles, in the era when the winner was decided over two legs.
Two years ago, the Carthage Eagles again bowed to the Eagles 0-4 in the third-place match of the U20 AFCON, also hosted by Egypt.
Kparobo Arierhi, who scored three goals at the WAFU B U20 Qualifying Championship and netted the first goal in the Egyptian friendly on Tuesday, Germany-based Precious Benjamin and home-boys Clinton Jephta and Divine Oliseh are the key foremen that Zubairu will be hoping to deliver against every opposition.
However the West Africans understand that they must take it one match at a time as they aspire for glory, with Cup holders Senegal (who head Group C), hosts Egypt (who head Group A) and four-time winners Ghana (in Group C) also in the hunt for honours.
Four-time champions Egypt (winners in 1981, 1991, 2003, and 2013) already pocketed three points from their opening match against South Africa on Sunday, while Zambia and Sierra Leone fought themselves to a scoreless draw.
Ghana have their work cut out in Group C, where they must negotiate survival with title-holders Senegal, a Central African Republic side that eliminated Cameroon, and the nifty Democratic Republic of Congo.
All four semi-finalists at the tournament will qualify to fly Africa’s flag at this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile, 27th September – 19th October.
24 FLYING EAGLES AT EGYPT 2025:
Goalkeepers: Ifeanyi Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos); Rufai Abubakar (Mavlon FC); Soliu Ajia Yakub (FK Novi Pazar, Serbia)
Defenders: Adamu Maigari (El-Kanemi Warriors); Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos); Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United); Emmanuel Chukwu (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Germany); Chigozie Michael Ihejiofor (Katsina United)
Midfielders: Caleb Ochedikwu (NK Uljanik Pula, Croatia); Israel Isaac Ayuma (NK Istra, Croatia); Simon Cletus (Mavlon FC); Sulaiman Alabi Jojo (El-Kanemi Warriors); Auwal Ibrahim (Akwa United); Shafiu Adamu Duguri (Wikki Tourists)
Forwards: Precious Benjamin (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Germany); Ezekiel Anthony Kpangu (Inspire FC); Divine Oliseh (Forster Academy); Clinton Jephta (Enyimba FC); Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire FC); Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC); Theophilus Mendos Rickson (Niger Tornadoes); Kparobo Nathaniel Arierhi (Lillestrom SK, Norway); Matthew Kingsley (Kings FC); Yushau Armiyau (Katsina United)
GROUP A: Egypt, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Tanzania
GROUP B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya
GROUP C: Senegal, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Ghana
Story by Kelechi Bernard @woramangra