Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will return to camp in Abuja on Monday, March 10, as they ramp up preparations for the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
The seven-time African champions are coming off a brief break following their two-match tour of Ivory Coast last week. Players and officials were given nine days off after arriving from Abidjan on Saturday evening.
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Aliyu Zubairu’s squad had mixed results in their friendly encounters against the Young Elephants, securing a 2-0 victory in the first match, courtesy of goals from captain Daniel Bameyi (penalty) and forward Divine Oliseh. However, the hosts responded with a 2-0 win in the second fixture at Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny.
Originally, the Flying Eagles were set to face Egypt in friendlies, but those matches were cancelled after Nigeria and Egypt were drawn in the same group for the U-20 AFCON. Nigeria will now compete in Group B alongside Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa in what promises to be a tough battle for qualification.
The tournament, scheduled for April 26 to May 18 in Ivory Coast, features 13 teams across three groups, including a five-team Group A. The top two teams from each group, along with the best two third-placed sides, will advance to the quarter-finals.
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have fond memories against the Young Elephants, having defeated them 2-1 in the group stage of the WAFU B U-20 Championship last October—a victory that helped propel them to the semi-finals and ultimately to the title.
The stakes are high at the upcoming U-20 AFCON, as the four semi-finalists will secure spots at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, set to take place from September 27 to October 19.
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