Manu Garba Wants Big Opening Day Win At AYC

Flying Eagles coach Manu Garba has said he hopes for a convincing win over hosts Senegal in Sunday’s opening match at the 2015 AYC in Dakar.

“We want to win convincingly because in any tournament your opening match is very crucial. It will boost your confidence,” said Manu.

“With the U17s (2013 CAF U17 Championship), we started very well by beating Ghana 6-1 before we went all the way to the final.

“We also trounced Mexico 5-1 in our opening match at the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup and then went on to win the tournament.

“This is how we wish to start the competition in Senegal, even though we respect and do not underrate our opponents, who will be playing at home in front of their fans.”

The coach added: “We want to win all our matches and by implication it means we want to be champions in Senegal and go to the World Cup in New Zealand as African champions.”

The Flying Eagles will be one of the youngest squads at this year’s tournament after promoting as many as eight players from the U17 team who won the U17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates two years ago.

FLYING EAGLES GOALKEEPERS IN SENEGAL – Dele Alampasu (far left), Olorunleke Ojo and Joshua Enaholo

Striker Taiwo Awoniyi scored four goals and provided as many assists on the way to Nigeria’s fourth U17 World Cup triumph.

He said his personal target is to score in all the matches in Senegal 2015.

“I will always play for the team but I wish to score in every match at this tournament,” said the lanky top striker.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria U20 team will train at the 45,000-capacity Leopold Sedar Senghor, the venue for Sunday’s match against the host country, by 4.30pm local time later Friday.

The training will be for an hour.

They will round up their training for the match on Saturday morning at the Stade Iba Mar Diop in Dakar.

Time will be 8am local time.

Flying Eagles Depart For AYC Wednesday

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will depart for the African Youth Championship in Senegal on Wednesday, officials have announced.

The Flying Eagles secretary Aliyu Ibrahim Awal disclosed that the team will fly out of Abuja via Lagos and Banjul, Gambia, to Dakar.

“We will leave Abuja Wednesday afternoon on our way to Dakar,” said the top team official.

The team will begin their quest for the 2015 AYC on Sunday against hosts Senegal.

Kick-off time is 5.30 pm Nigerian time at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor in Dakar.

They will also take on Congo March 11 and Cote d’Ivoire March 14.

The final group game against the Ivorians will be played at the Stade Caroline Faye in M’bour, which is a short bus ride from Dakar and the base for Group B.

The four semi-finalists at this tournament will represent Africa at the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup to be staged in New Zealand from May.

Flying Eagles

Flying Eagles final AYC squad:

Goalkeepers: Joshua Enaholo, Sunday Alampasu, Olorunleke Ojo

Defenders: Musa Muhamed, Zaharadeen Bello, Izu Omego, Mustapha Abdullahi, Samuel Okon, Abdulganiyu Saheed

Midfielders:Ifeanyi Matthew, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Akinjide Idowu, Obinna Nwobodo, Bernard Bulbwa, Abdullahi Alfa

Strikers: Taiwo Awoniyi, Christian Pyagbara, Abdullahi Ibrahim Alhassan ‘Muazam’, Usman Hassan, Chidera Ezeh, Wasiu Jimoh

Wasiu Jimoh Nets 4 As Flying Eagles Wallop Amakson Academy of Abuja 7-1

Wasiu Jimoh from the Kwara Football Academy plundered four goals as the Flying Eagles hammered Amakson Academy of Abuja 7-1 in a test match on Thursday.

Jimoh has been a fringe player in the Nigeria U20 team, but in the absence of some of the established stars ‘Baba Kwara’ grabbed his chance to make a big statement ahead of a final qualifier against Lesotho on August 16 in Kaduna.

He opened scoring after 16 minutes when he jabbed home from a right cross by Ifeanyi Nweke.

He then made it 2-0 on 32 minutes with a long-range pile driver, before he completed his hat-trick in the 64th minute with yet another superb shot from distance.

He grabbed his fourth goal in the 78th minute with yet another classy effort.

Amakson first appeared to be up for a fight because after 36 minutes their lively skipper Isaac Udoh pulled a goal back with the Flying Eagles then leading 2-0.

Flying Eagles

It was a sublime finish by the impressive Udoh as he went past two defenders before slotting beyond goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo.

Thereafter, Taiwo Awoniyi and Sulaiman Abdullahi missed glaring chances, before Chisom Eze put the Nigeria U20 team 3-1 ahead on 62 minutes with a sweet finish.

After Jimoh fired his third and fourth goals, substitute Abubakar Lawal increased the tally to 6-1 after he was set up by Abdullahi.

The hard working Abdullahi completed the rout on the dot of 90 minutes from the penalty spot after Bernard Bulbwa was felled inside the box.

Flying Eagles vs Amakson Academy

Olorunleke Ojo – Ifeanyi Nweke, Mustapha Abdullahi (Adebayor Ademuluwa 46), Wilfred Ndidi (Rowland Silas 88), Zaharadeen Bello – Ifeanyi Ifeanyi (Akinjide Idowu 46), Wasiu Jimoh (Clement Ogbobe Junior 80), Chisom Eze, Obinna Nwobodo (Bernard Bulbwa 76) – Taiwo Awoniyi (Abubakar Lawal 76), Sulaiman Abdullahi