Flying Eagles Of Nigeria Battle Guinea Bissau In U-20 AFCON Qualifier

The Flying Eagles of Nigeria will begin the quest for a place at the 2019 CAF U-20 Africa Nations Cup taking place in Niger when they battle Guinea-Bissau in a First Round, first leg qualification match at the September 24 National Stadium in Bissau this Saturday.

Nigerian U-20 side called the Flying Eagles failed to qualify for the last edition of CAF U-20 Africa Nations Cup hosted by Zambia after they were surprisingly knocked out by Sudan. The Flying Eagles are the most successful U-20 team in the continent with seven U-20 AFCON titles to their credit, they won their last title in Senegal when they defeated the host at their backyard to win the competition in 2015.

The Paul Aigbogun tutored side arrived Bissau late Thursday night after connecting a flight from Morocco and had a feel of the September 24 National Stadium for the first time on Friday evening.

If the Flying Eagles and their officials have learnt a lesson from the disaster in the qualification for the last edition of U20 AFCON in which they were eliminated by lowly rated Sudan, then the team will do themselves some good not to underrate the Young Djurtinhos of Guinea Bissau who knocked out Sierra Leone 1-0 on aggregate in the First Round.

The Flying Eagles will bank on the experience of the only foreign-based player in the team, goalkeeper Akpan Udoh, the team also have talented stars like Plateau United winger, Peter Eneji, skipper and CHAN Eagles defender Ikouewen Udoh, Aniekeme Asuquo, Ibrahim Babawo and Jerome Akor to help them secure a comfortable result in the first leg.

The First Round, first leg qualification match at the September 24 National Stadium, Bissau will kick-off at 5pm Nigerian time. The four semi-finalists at Niger 2019 CAF U-20 Africa Nations Cup will qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup same year in Poland.