Musa Yahaya, Chidera Eze Arrivals Boost Flying Eagles

Musa Yahaya and Chidera Eze are set to join up with the rest of the Flying Eagles squad in training camp in Kaduna, just as several other players have confirmed their own arrivals.

According to Flying Eagles secretary Aliyu Auwal Ibrahim, Musa Yahaya from Tottenham Hotspur youth academy and Chidera Eze of FC Porto have confirmed they will join the Nigeria U20 team on Sunday.

Defender Wilfred Ndidi, who last week signed a professional deal with Belgian club Genk, as well as skipper Musa Muhammed and Ifeanyi Matthew, who are away in Europe, have informed the team they will join up not later than Tuesday.

MUSA YAHAYA GOES FOR GOALS VS TANZANIA

“We will soon have a full house in camp,” disclosed Aliyu Auwal.

“Alhassan Ibrahim ‘Muazam’ has already rejoined the team, so too Sulaiman Abdullahi. Both players have been away in Europe on trials.

“And Kingsley Sokari has also promised to join up this week after he featured for the Eagles in friendly matches in the United Arab Emirates.”

The Flying Eagles will feature in a Super 4, which will also have Nigeria league champions Kano Pillars, Enyimba, Warri Wolves and Dolphins.

The tournament will begin on Saturday in Abuja.

2015 AYC Qualifier: LESOTHO U20s FLY INTO ABUJA ON FRIDAY

Lesotho U20 team are due to arrive Abuja on Friday ahead of a 2015 AYC qualifier against their Nigerian counterparts the following day in Kaduna.

Flying Eagles team secretary Aliyu Auwal Ibrahim disclosed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have received a schedule of the Lesotho team for Saturday’s qualifier in Kaduna.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have reassured Lesotho after they expressed concerns over the Ebola Virus disease in West Africa.

The return leg match of this final AYC qualifier will be played in Maseru a fortnight later with the overall winners advancing to the tournament proper in Senegal in March.

MUSA YAHAYA GOES FOR GOALS VS TANZANIA

Lesotho eliminated Angola in the previous round to reach this stage of the qualifying series.

In the meantime, midfielder Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, who has been nursing a hamstring injury, has regained his fitness and featured for the first team in a test game against the second team on Thursday morning.

The defensive midfielder did not show any signs of distress as the first team fired three unreplied goals past their other colleagues after a tight first half that ended without any goals.

Taiwo Awoniyi and Wilfred Ndidi were among the scorers for what looks likely to be the team that will start on Saturday afternoon at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

Manchester City release Iheanacho, Nwakali to Flying Eagles

Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali will join the Flying Eagles on Wednesday, April 9, after playing a game for the Manchester City youth team.

Flying Eagles team secretary Aliyu Auwal Ibrahim said he received the confirmation of the players’ arrival from the City sports director.

“Iheanacho and Nwakali have a game on April 8 and they will be released to join us a day after. I received this assurance from the sports director of Manchester City,” Aliyu Auwal disclosed.

“We hope to soon receive confirmation on the other foreign-based players we have called up.”

The Flying Eagles have also invited Musa Muhammed (Besiktas, Turkey), Musa Yahaya (Tottenham Hotspur, England), Chidera Eze (FC Porto, Portugal) and Dele Alampasu, who is currently undergoing trials in Belgium.

Flying Eagles for Morocco test

Nigeria U20 team, the Flying Eagles, will engage their Moroccan counterparts in a two-legged friendly in Casablanca on April 9 and 11.

The team will depart the country for Morocco on Sunday, April 6, with a 20-man squad.

The team have already regrouped in Abuja preparatory to a 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier in May.

This followed a short break given the players after a month-long rigorous screening exercise in Abuja.

Coach Manu Garba has called up 35 players, who have been booked into Serob Legacy Hotel in Area 1 Abuja.

The seven invitees who are based overseas are also expected to join up with the rest of the squad this week.

Team secretary Aliyu Auwal Ibrahim said letters to their various foreign clubs have been sent out to that effect.

Nigeria are billed to face the winners of the qualifying match between Kenya and Tanzania next month in continuation of the qualifying tournament to be hosted by Senegal in March 2015.

The Flying Eagles have won the competition a record six times.