The Flying Eagles would need soccer agility coupled with prayers to edge their Senegalese counterparts to clinch one of the four continental World Cup tickets when they both clash in a decisive CAF U-20 AFCON (EGYPT 2025) quarter-final match today in Ismailia.
This much is the opinion of foremost youth coach Manu Garba, who incidentally led the Flying Eagles to clinch the CAF U-20 AFCON at the expense of the Junior Teranga Lions in 2015.
Bearing that in mind, Garba, a two-time FIFA U-17 World Cup winner with the Golden Eaglets, believes today’s encounter would certainly be more than a cup final, adding there is little separating the two West African powerhouses judging by their antecedents so far at the on-going tournament in Egypt.
“The only thing is that the last time when we (Flying Eagles) won the AFCON U20 trophy in Senegal, we defeated them 3-1 in the opening match and we still met in the AFCON U20 Final Match, and we won 1-0,” Garba told NationSport.“ This time, it’s going to be a cracking game due to the fact that most of their players are bulk of the last U-17, so they are used to each other and the fact that they are defending champions also makes them a top opposition.”
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Yet Garba noted that the Aliyu Zubairu-led Flying Eagles has shown resilience so far in this on-going campaign and should have a head start against the battle-hardened Senegalese.
“Nigeria one of the power house in youth football , is the most successful team in the AFCON U20 and also have a good team that is unbeaten in the tournament and importantly, the Flying Eagles wants to qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup,” Garba surmised
He added: “This is the knock out stage and our flying Eagles have to be focused from the kick-off to the final whistle and there should be no dull moment.
“ I’m, therefore, calling on all Nigerians to pray for victory against Senegal.”