Nigeria’s U20 men’s national team, the Flying Eagles, have returned to camp to begin preparations for this year’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, www.aclsports.com reports.
It will be recalled that the team, led by Aliyu Zubairu, won the U20 WAFU championship late last year to book their place in the continental showpiece. The side has now returned to camp in Abuja to begin preparations for the AFCON with a two-match tour of Egypt later this month.
Zubairu, who is also the head coach of Elkanemi Warriors, has called up 30 players including Sporting Lagos’ goalkeeper Ifeanyi Harcourt, Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire), Ikorodu City’s in-form winger Shola Adelani, and skipper Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United).
Team Administrator, Aliyu Lawal Ibrahim informed thenff.com that the seven-time African champions will clash with their Egyptian counterparts in Cairo, capital of Egypt in friendly matches that have been scheduled for 25th and 27th February.
READ MORE : CAF reveals draw procedure for U20 AFCON
This year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations has been scheduled to take place in Cote d’Ivoire, 26th April – 18th May, with the four top-placed finishers qualifying to represent the continent at the FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile, 27th September – 19th October.
FULL 30-MAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ifeanyi Harcourt (Sporting Lagos); Light Emerenonye (Diamond Academy); Abubakar Rufai (Mavlon FC)
Defenders: Adamu Maigari (El-Kanemi Warriors); Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United); Kenneth Igbokwe (Enugu Rangers); Haruna Aliyu (Wikki Tourists); Musa Ademu (Wireless FC); Shamsudeen Muhammad (Mavlon FC); Ibrahim Abdullahi; Shamsudeen Ishaq (Grassrunner FC); Steven Jolomi (Mavlon FC)
Midfielders: Raphael Oyebanjo (Shuffle Select FC); Mohammed Ibrahim (Niger Tornadoes); Kizito Opara (Campus Academy); Alabi Sulaiman Jojo (El-Kanemi Warriors); Sulaiman Abubakar (Diamond Academy); Shafiu Adamu (Wikki Tourists); Cletus Simon (Mavlon FC)
Forwards: Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire Academy); Clinton Jephta (Enyimba FC); Matthew Chukwusa (Morack Academy); Nasiru Salihu (El-Kanemi Warriors); Divine Olisha (Fostar Academy); Jerry Salami (Aspire Academy); Oluwaseyi Akinfenwa (Real Sapphire Academy); Shola Adelani (Ikorodu City); Abdulrahaman Ishaq (Sport Supply Academy); Ezekiel Anthony (Aspire Academy); Sodiq Olalekan Adewunmi (Jaguar Sports FC)
