WAFU Zone B: Flying Eagles round off preparations with win

Nigeria Flying Eagles rounded off their preparations for the WAFU Zone B U20 Championship starting this weekend with a 0-1 win over Niger on Monday.

Both teams had earlier played out a 0-0 draw in the first instalment of the double-header friendly on Friday but the Nigerians, coached by Ladan Bosso edged the second game decided at the General Seyni Kountche Stadium in Niamey.

Gombe United star Ibrahim Yahaya scored the game’s only goal early in the first half as the hosts tried but in vain to claw their way back into the game.

Head coach Bosso made few changes to the team that played on Saturday, resting team captain Oluwatosin Adegbite, Plateau United’s Albert Hilary and Abia Warriors right back Augustine Njoku although the latter came on later in the second half for Chikezie Okolie.

In a different twist to the game on Monday as compared to Friday, Niger U20screated countless opportunities but failed to score due to poor marksmanship, also denied by the frame of the goal post on two different occasions.

The young Eagles however also got the ball to the back of the net two more times but were chalked off, the second one for a controversial offside call after Abdullahi Ahmed scored what looked like a legitimate goal.

There was a little worry for the team though as goalkeeper Chijioke Aniagboso went off injured during the first half in what looked like a groin complaint with his place taken by Nathaniel Nwosu.

The team will face arch rivals Ghana in their opening group match on the same turf on Sunday evening before facing Burkina Faso in their final group game three days later.

The top two teams from the group will advance to the semi-final while the two finalists will earn a place in next year’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be hosted by Egypt.

Nigeria XI vs Niger

Chijioke Aniagboso; Chikezie Okolie, Abubakar Babaji; Bolu Sholumade, Lekan Oyedele; Daniel Daga, Seyi Falodun; Yahaya Ibrahim, Samson Lawal, Abdullahi Ahmed; Muhammad Beji