The Nation Newspaper

Tag: AYC

  • AYC: Osimhen, Nwakali in Nigeria squad to Burundi

    AYC: Osimhen, Nwakali in Nigeria squad to Burundi

    Ex- Golden Eaglets striker, Victor Osimhen has been included in the Flying Eagles squad for Saturday’s African Youth Cup (AYC) qualifier in Burundi.

    Osimhen, who is currently with German club Wolfsburg, injured his shoulder during a test game against the Nigeria Olympic team last week, africanFootball.com reports.

    Osimhen, Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze are among the 15 players picked from the Golden Eaglets team that won last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile for the party to Burundi.

    Team Secretary, Aliyu Lawal Ibrahim, said the Nigeria delegation will fly out of Abuja aboard an Ethiopian Airline plane on Wednesday.

    Nigeria and Burundi will clash in a second round, first leg AYC qualifying tie at the Prince Louis Stadium, Bujumbura, on Saturday.

     

    The squad:

     

    Kelechi Nwakali, Akpan Udoh, Chukwudi Agor, Ejike Ikwu, Anas Mohammed, Chinedu Madueke, Tobechukwu Ibe, Gavi Thompson, Samuel Chukwueze, Kehinde Ayinde, Orji Okonkwo, Victor Osimhen, Halilu Zakari, Udochukwu Anumudu, Kingsley Michael, Douglas Uzama, Chiaha Chisom, John Lazarus.

     

  • AYC title a personal honour, says Sanusi

    AYC title a personal honour, says Sanusi

    Newly appointed  General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Sanusi Mohammed has described the Flying Eagles’ seventh Africa Youth Championship (AYC) title as a “personal honour”.

    Sanusi replaced Musa Amadu as NFF General Secretary on Thursday and three days later the Flying Eagles pipped hosts Senegal 1-0 to win a seventh AYC crown for the country.

    “This triumph by the Flying Eagles was a personal honour done to me,” said an elated Sanusi, when he received the team at his office in Abuja on their arrival from Dakar.

    “I was appointed General Secretary on March 19 and the number 19 is significant in Islam and three days later, the Flying Eagles won the AYC.”

    Sanusi restated the resolve of the NFF to ensure they are fully prepared for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand from May 30.

    The newly crowned African champions are drawn in a first round group that also has Brazil, Hungary and North Korea.

     

  • AYC: Flying Eagles’ victory delights Garba

    AYC: Flying Eagles’ victory delights Garba

    Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba, said his team made up of only two players from the Nigeria Premier League is the future of Nigerian football, after Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Senegal secured the country’s seven Africa Youth Championship triumph.

    Garba, who expressed his joy at winning the championship twice, once as a player in 1983 and now as a coach, described Bernard Bulbwa audacious volley as the goal of the tournament.

    “I feel elated and great, I was part of the team that won the same competition in 1983, as a player and I am now happy to win it as a coach,” sl10.ng quoted the former Golden Eaglets coach as saying after the match.

    “The difference is the goal of the tournament which was scored by number 7 Bernard Bulbwa, this team is the future of Nigeria football we have only two players from the Nigeria Premier League, the rest are from academies, which is a good sign for the development of Nigeria Football,” he added.

  • AYC: We’re determined to beat Nigeria- Ghanaian captain

    AYC: We’re determined to beat Nigeria- Ghanaian captain

    Ghana U-20 captain, Joseph Owusu Bempah, said the team is focused on scaling over the Nigeria hurdle to reach the African Youth Championship final.

    The right-back and his teammates have been criticized over their poor performance in the last two matches, africanFootball.com reports.

    The Black Satellites’ 0-1 defeat to Mali in the final Group match has diminished hopes of beating the Flying Eagles in Wednesday’s semi-final.

    Bempah remains hopeful that his team can put Nigeria to flight for a fourth continental title.

    “It is our turn to achieve something and we taking everything with no pressure. Playing against Nigeria is an opportunity to showcase our talents and we will go into the game with all the serious and in end exhibit quality football for Africa,” the Hearts of Oak player said.

  • AYC: Manu Garba rejects Iheanacho’s plea

    AYC: Manu Garba rejects Iheanacho’s plea

    Assistant coach of the Flying Eagles, Nduka Ugbade, has sensationally revealed that Manchester City starlet, Kelechi Iheanacho, pleaded with head coach, Manu Garba, to be included in Nigeria’s final squad for the 2015 African Youth championship in Senegal.

    Iheanacho was initially ruled out of the competition after picking up an injury which was ratified by his English Premier League club.

    The former Golden Eaglets star recovered from the injury before suffering yet another setback but not before asking the coaching staff of the Flying Eagles if he could be drafted into the squad as a late inclusion.

    “Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi and some of the other players who are not here (in Senegal) actually pleaded with coach Manu if they could be included but he said no because they did not work with us in the final phase of our preparations.

    “That is the hunger and desire they all displayed but the coach (Manu) has told them that if we qualify for the U-20 World Cup, they will all be invited to fight for shirts,” Ugbade told supersport.com.

    Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles held its first training session in Senegal ahead of the competition’s opening game against the hosts, Senegal.

    The team trained on Thursday evening at the Stade Iba Mar Diop, Dakar.

    The training session lasted 90 minutes and all the 21 players trained fully.

     

  • NFF wants Flying Eagles to win AYC

    NFF wants Flying Eagles to win AYC

    The Nigeria Football Federation has tasked the Flying Eagles to win the 2015 African Youth Championship in Senegal.

    NFF deputy secretary general, Emmanuel Ikpeme, told the players at the team’s Serob Legacy Hotel in Wuye, Abuja, Wednesday that the entire country is looking up to them to win the continent’s tournament in Senegal.

    “On behalf of the president of the NFF, I wish to congratulate the players who made the final squad to the AYC in Senegal,” africanFootball.com quoted Ikpeme as saying to the players.

    “The President is particularly delighted that the bulk of the squad to Senegal came from the team that won the FIFA U-17 World Cup two years ago.

    “The target to the team therefore is for the team to win the AYC and confirm that winning the U-17 World Cup was not a fluke.”

    He added: “Your first match will be against the hosts country Senegal and do not expect it to be an easy match but we believe you are up to the task going by what you showed in your recent test matches in Ghana.

    “We should not take any match or opponent for granted and so you should resolve as a team to make Nigeria happy and proud in Senegal.”

    Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba, assured the NFF that the team will go for glory in Senegal.

    “We as a team always want to win every game we play and that is the attitude we will take to the AYC.

    “We will not underrate any team in Senegal, but we are confident we will do the nation proud,” the coach stated.

  • 2015 AYC: Eaglets fail to win bronze

    2015 AYC: Eaglets fail to win bronze

    The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria finished fourth at the 2015 AYC after losing 3-1 to the Syli Babes of Guinea in a 3rd/4th place playoff match at the Stade Général S. K.

    Goals from Aboubacar Toure and Abdoulaye Keita in the space of five minutes gave the Syli Babes a 2-1 lead over the Golden Eaglets at half-time.

    The game was off to a predictably fast start, with both sides looking to win the third place match at the Stade Général S. K.

    After a couple of tame efforts, however, Eaglets had the lead 28 minutes into the game, when Victor Osimhen bundled in a superb team effort.

    Nigeria should have increased their lead not long after, when Abdullahi Suleiman was given far too much room but his header was saved by goalkeeper Moussa Camara.

    Immediately after Suleiman forced the goalkeeper to the save, Nigeria looked distinctly second-best, struggling to craft any moves and surrendering possession to Guinea as soon as they got the ball.

    Guinea did find their equaliser when Aboubacar netted an absolute beauty into the far corner over Akpan Udoh, stunning the Nigerian fans into silence.

    Just as Guinea’s goal appeared to deflate the Nigerians, the Syli Babes were in the lead Keita’s fantastic effort resulted in amazing goal.

    Nigeria was probably looking the more likely team to level as half-time drew closer, but the Guineans held on.

    After the break, Abdullahi wasn’t effective with his set-pieces as Eaglets struggled to create any clear-cut chance.

    With thirty-one minutes left to play Guinea made another breakthrough as Keita powered in his second goal of the day.

    Guinea almost made it 4-1, but it took the bravery of Udoh to deny Alseny Soumah from scoring.

    The Nigerian side lacked the energy to take the game to their opponents and couldn’t shrug off the disappointments of crashing out to South Africa in the semi final on Wednesday.

  • AYC: Man City seeks Iheanacho’s inclusion in Nigeria squad

    AYC: Man City seeks Iheanacho’s inclusion in Nigeria squad

    English Premier League side, Manchester City, has launched a last-minute move to get Kelechi Iheanacho into Nigeria final squad for next month’s African Youth Championship in Senegal, africanFootball.com reports.

    After first saying the player will be unavailable for the AYC in Senegal due to injury, the EPL giants had now made a dramatic u-turn, saying the former Golden Eaglets’ star could be released to join the Flying Eagles for the tournament as he has fully recovered ahead of a mid-March time frame earlier set by the club.

    The 18-year-old player has called up coach Manu Garba to inform him he has recovered from a long-term ankle injury, while expressing his willingness to feature at the AYC.

    The Most Valuable Player at the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup, who followed the team’s recent warm-up matches in Ghana via telephone, told Manu he will even play a match for City reserves on Tuesday.

     

  • Flying Eagles target AYC, World Cup titles

    Flying Eagles target AYC, World Cup titles

    Flying Eagles stand-in captain Taiwo Awoniyi has said that the target of the team is to win the Africa Youth Championship (AYC) and also the FIFA U-20 World Cup later in the year.

    According to Awoniyi, the team has all it takes to achieve that feat, all they need to do is to remain focused and be able to convert most of the chances they create.

    “Our target is to win  the AYC and the U-20 World Cup this year. For us to do that, we must  win all the matches that come our way. As a striker, my concern now is to perfect all my goal scoring antics, so that I would always put my team ahead. However, that does not mean that whenever I lose such chances, I should be dejected and continue to think over it”.

    Awoniyi, who had a fantastic game against Enyimba on Saturday, said though they defeated the Aba Elephants, they learnt a lot from them.

    “Enyimba were a good side, and were much experienced, and we learnt a lot from them,” he said.

  • Garba fears Alampasu could miss AYC

    Garba fears Alampasu could miss AYC

    Flying Eagles coach,  Manu Garba, has confirmed that first choice goalkeeper Dele Alampasu will miss out of the Africa Youth Championship(AYC) if he doesn’t join the team as soon as possible.

    Alampasu,who shone brightly as Nigeria won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2013, has been in and out of the team as he seeks to sign a professional contract abroad,with recent reports linking him with clubs in Belgium.

    And with second choice Anthony Enaholo proving to be a capable replacement, Manu has admitted that the highly rated Alampasu will miss out of the tournament if he fails to show up before the provisional squad is announced.

    “Dele Alampasu is still in our plans but we understand he is yet to sign a contract in Europe and he can always join us the moment he signs. But if he doesn’t come before the final provisional list is made, he will be out of the tournament,” Manu told SL10.ng.

    The Flying Eagles continued their impressive form as they beat two-time African champions and the more experienced Enyimba 2-0 with 10 men in their opening fixture of the ongoing Super Six tourney in Abuja.

    Next up for the Flying Eagles are Nigerian league champions, Kano Pillars today.