Nigeria vs Egypt: Enyimba and Bayelsa gems in 30-player Flying Eagles squad for North African test

Nigeria’s U20 national team, the Flying Eagles, have announced a 30-man squad as they step up preparations for the 2024 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, set to begin in April, Soccernet.ng reports.

Head coach Aliyu Zubairu has invited several exciting talents for a two-match friendly tour against Egypt’s U20 side later this month.

Among those called up are Sporting Lagos goalkeeper Ifeanyi Harcourt, Bayelsa United defender Daniel Bameyi, El-Kanemi Warriors midfielder Alabi Sulaiman Jojo, and Enyimba forward Clinton Japhet.

The seven-time African champions will face Egypt’s U20 team in back-to-back matches scheduled for February 25 and 27 in Cairo.

The friendlies will serve as key preparatory fixtures ahead of the continental tournament in Côte d’Ivoire, where Nigeria will aim to secure a record-extending eighth U20 title.

This year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations will run from April 26 to May 18, with the top four teams earning a place at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile later in the year.

The most successful team in the history of the continental competition, the Flying Eagles have been seeded for the draws slated for this week. 

The FIFA U20 World Cup is set to take place from September 27 to October 19.

READ MORE: “What’s stopping Nigeria?” – Flying Eagles boss Zubairu targets World Cup glory after WAFU B success

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are one of Africa’s most successful youth teams, having won the U20 AFCON title in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, and 2015.

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They qualified for this year’s finals after winning the WAFU-B U20 Championship in Lomé, Togo, last October, where they defeated Ghana’s Black Satellites 3-1 in the final.

The team also has a strong FIFA U20 World Cup pedigree, finishing as runners-up in 1989 and 2005.

At the most recent edition in Argentina, they came agonisingly close to the semi-finals before suffering a narrow extra-time defeat to South Korea.

With just months to go until the AFCON U20 tournament, the upcoming clashes against Egypt will provide a crucial test for Zubairu’s squad as they fine-tune their preparations.

Nigeria Flying Eagles 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 Oyebanji (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 Japhet (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 Adelami (Ikorodu City); Abdulrahaman Ishaq (Sport Supply Academy); Ezekiel Anthony (Aspire Academy); Sodiq Olalekan Adewunmi (Jaguar Sports FC)