The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Flying Eagles

  • Flying Eagles trounce FC Abuja 7-2

    Flying Eagles trounce FC Abuja 7-2

    Nigeria U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, trounced Nationwide League side FC Abuja 7-2 in a test match played at the FIFA Goal project on Friday.

    Sulaiman Abubakar scored twice, while there were also goals from Alhassan Ibrahim aka Muazam, Kelechi Iheanacho, Ifeanyi Matthew, Musa Yahaya and Victory Omodiagbe.

    “We are making improvements gradually as we continue to use these matches to perfect our strategies for our African Youth Championship(AYC) qualifiers next month,” said Flying Eagles goalkeeper trainer Fancy Ewulu.

    El Kanemi Warriors striker Sulaiman Abubakar gave the Flying Eagles an early lead after four minutes when he connected home a superb half volley moments after Ifeanyi Matthew’s shot missed target just narrowly. Two minutes later, Abubakar broke clear of the FC Abuja defence before he fired home the second goal.

    Musa Yahaya then had a great chance to increase the tally after he went past the goalkeeper, but he did not have enough balance to steer the ball home. Yahaya again threatened the FC Abuja goal in the 25th minute, before Muazam’s well-directed header on 37 minutes was tipped by the goalkeeper for a corner. Three minutes later, Abubakar was denied his hat-trick by the goalkeeper after he was set up by Muazam.

    Playmaker Ifeanyi Matthew fired home the third goal in the 41st minute with a powerful low shot from distance.

    FC Abuja attacked after the break and they were almost rewarded in the 50th minute but defender Izu Omego jumped well to head the ball off the goal line. A minute later, the nationwide League outfit pilled a goal back when skipper Abdulkarim Abubakar nodded home from a corner.

    On the hour, Muazam dashed into the box and cut in for Musa Yahaya to slot in the fourth goal for the Flying Eagles. Muazam was again the provider when he put a pass through for substitute Victory Omodiagbe to get on the score sheet at 5-1.

    Five minutes from time, Muazam scored when he coolly shot into the net after he had rounded the goalkeeper courtesy of a great through pass by Iheanacho.

    Omodiagbe was fouled inside the box in the 89th minute and Iheanacho stepped forward to tuck away the penalty.

    FC Abuja snatched another consolation goal in stoppage time through Dauda Olajire after the Flying Eagles defence was disorganised.

    Flying Eagles vs FC Abuja

    Emeka Nwabulu (Abdulazeez Abubakar 90+) – Musa Muhammed (Ifeanyi Nweke 86), Denis Okon (Mustapha Abdullahi 64), Izu Omego, Zaharadeen Bello (Aliyu Abubakar 68) – Abdullahi Alfa (Chidiebere Nwakali 61), Akinjide Idowu (Anthony Omaka 75), Musa Yahaya (Kelechi Iheanacho 61), Ifeanyi Matthew (Mathias Samuel 86) – Alhassan Ibrahim aka Muazam (Wasiu Jomoh 86), Sulaiman Abubakar (Victory Omodiagbe 75)

  • Flying Eagles train on Good Friday, drop 3

    Flying Eagles train on Good Friday, drop 3

    Nigeria U-20 male team, the Flying Eagles, on Good Friday shunned the holiday festivities to train at the practice pitch of the Abuja National Stadium.

    A statement by the team’s Media Officer, Samm Audu, said Bernard Bulbwa, Chidera Eze and Ahmed Umar trained outside the main squad as they were nursing injuries.

    “Bulbwa has a groin injury, while Eze is nursing a hamstring strain and Umar has a knock on his right knee. Chidiebere Nwakali, who also has a knee complaint, took part in all the training drills, but did not feature in the two-a-side game as he has yet to start kicking a football,” the statement said.

    It also said that three players had been dropped from the squad preparing for next month’s African Youth Championship(AYC) qualifier against either Kenya or Tanzania.

    “The players are midfielders Uche Okereke and Fidelix Irene as well as goalkeeper Zaradeen Usman,” it said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there are now 34 players in the team’s training camp in Abuja.

    The Flying Eagles will play another test match on Saturday morning against Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL) side, Dabo Babes of Kano. The match will kick off at 7 a.m. at the FIFA Goal Project in Abuja.

  • Garba plays down FC Twente mauling

    Garba plays down FC Twente mauling

    Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba, has played down the significance of his team’s 11-0 annihilation of FC Twente in Abuja on Thursday.

    Garba refused to be carried away with the huge scoreline, stating that the score could be misleading regarding the true strength of his team.

    He described the team as a yet to be a completed project, adding that friendly games against much stronger opponents have already been line-up to help test the team and strengthen their confidence.

    “We should not read much into the outcome of this match. We are still gradually building for the task ahead and hope to face tougher opponents in the coming days,” he told KickoffNigeria.

     

     

  • Alampasu hits Flying Eagles camp

    Alampasu hits Flying Eagles camp

    Goalkeeper Sunday Alampasu will lead 19 other players from the Golden Eaglets to the Flying Eagles’ training camp in Abuja.

    Alampasu was named best goalkeeper at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup and was also picked for the country’s squad to the recent Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in South Africa.

    Some of the other players invited are Wilfred Ndidi, Abdullahi Alfa, Akinjide Idowu, Saviour Godwin, Aliyu Abubakar, Chigozie Obasi, Dennis Okon Nya and Zaraddeen Bello. They are latest today to join 35 other players who were picked from a two-week open trial in Abuja.

    The Flying Eagles under coach Manu Garba have been training for a third week in Abuja ahead of a 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier against either Kenya or Tanzania in May.

    Kenya and Tanzania will do battle next month for the right to face six-time African Youth Champions Nigeria in May with the overall winners advancing to the final qualifying round in August.

  • AFCON 2015: Nigeria ‘top seed’ for qualifiers

    AFCON 2015: Nigeria ‘top seed’ for qualifiers

    …Flying Eagles drawn bye in AYC
    Champions Nigeria will be the top seed for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series, according to the Confederation of African Football.
    The top ranking was summed up based on a points system from recent AFCONs, the 2013 AFCON as well as the Super Eagles performance in the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
    Other top seeds for the qualifying tournament for the 2015 AFCON include Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali and Zambia.
    The 2015 AFCON will be hosted by Morocco in four cities from January 15 to February 7.
    The draw for the qualifiers is scheduled for April 27 in Cairo, Egypt.
    Meanwhile, CAF will decide on the hosts for the 2019 and 2021 AFCONs in September.
    Algeria has tabled a formal bid for both tournaments.
    MTNFootball.com reports that other countries vying to stage the biennial tournament are Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, DR Congo, Zambia (2019 AFCON) and Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea (2021 AFCON).
    Also, the Flying Eagles had been drawn bye to the second round of the 2015 African Youth Championship to be hosted by Senegal.
    The six-time African champions will begin the qualifying tournament in May against the winners of the first round match between Kenya and Tanzania.
    Should the Nigeria U-20 team qualify for the third and final round, the team will face the winners of the second round between Angola and the winners of the first round clash involving Swaziland and Lesotho.
    This final qualifier is scheduled for August.
    World Cup-winning Nigeria U-17 coach, Manu Garba, has been promoted to lead the Flying Eagles, which is expected to be made up of the bulk of the Golden Eaglets from 2013.
    Nigeria placed third at the 2013 AYC after winning a record sixth continental title two years earlier in South Africa.
    Senegal will stage the 20th AYC between March 8 and 22 with the four top placed teams qualifying for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

  • Flying Eagles star rejoins Dolphins

    Flying Eagles star rejoins Dolphins

    Nigeria U-20 star, Edem Eduok has rejoined Nigeria Professional Football League side, Dolphins, after representing the country at the last FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.

    Eduok is one of two Dolphins stars, out of the four Dolphins players that were in that team, to make a return to the former National champions.

    Chizoba Amaefule has also made his way back to the Port Harcourt side after the Turkey experience.

    The other two stars, Abduljeleel Ajagun and Chidi Osuchukwu, have since moved on to European teams, with Osuchukwu settling at Braga in Portugal, while Ajagun seems set for Greek giants, Panathinaikos.

    “Eduok has been working out with the team for almost a week now. I can’t say whether he will play this weekend, that is up to the coaches. But he is fully back,” China Acheru told futaa.com.

    Dolphins will play in Akure against Sunshine Stars on Sunday.

  • Maigari lifts Flying Eagles’ spirits

    Maigari lifts Flying Eagles’ spirits

    The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Aminu Maigari has commended the fighting spirit of the national U20 team, urging them not to allow the setback of their Round of 16 loss affect the bright future that awaits them.

    “We wish to commend your performance against Uruguay, but unfortunately one team has to win and another has to lose, he told the team. You did your best and went out there to win but it was not meant to be. You should learn from the mistakes you made so that next time we will go all the way.”

  • WYC: We fought bravely – Obuh

    Nigeria U-20 coach, John Obuh, has said his team put up a good fight only to crash out of the World Cup in Turkey to Uruguay on Tuesday night.

    “Despite playing a man short for half of the match, we fought a good fight,” declared Obuh.

    “The match has been won and lost and we accept the loss in good faith.”

    He added: “Our target at this tournament was not to leave the stage this early but I hope the next coach will take it from where I stopped.

    “What is very certain is that Nigeria is a football nation blessed with a lot of talent. The players only have a focus and they will be world beaters.”

    MTNFootball.com reports that the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Aminu Maigari commended the fighting spirit of the team, urging them to not allow this setback affect the bright future that awaits them.

    “We wish to commend your performance against Uruguay, but unfortunately one team has to win and another has to lose,” he told the team.

    “You did your best and went out there to win but it was not meant to be.

    “You should learn from the mistakes you made so that next time we will go all the way.”

    Nigeria fell behind after 64 minutes when Nicolas Lopez slotted home after goalkeeper Samuel Okani failed to deal with a free kick from the left.

    Olanrewaju Kayode drew Nigeria level in the 69th minute when he let fly from just outside the box.

    And moments later, Michael Olaitan saw his effort crash against the side netting.

    Okani pulled off a big save in the 56th minute and Nigeria created a number of chances thereafter before Uruguay regained the lead from the penalty spot through Lopez in the 84th minute after Wilfred Ndidi had fouled a goal-bound Diego Rolan.

    Nigeria began to play with a man short after 40 minutes when fullback Shehu Abdullahi was sent off for a double-footed tackle on Diego Laxalt.

    It was a cagey start by both teams as they tried to settle down.

     

  • Okani dreams WYC trophy

    Okani dreams WYC trophy

    Flying Eagles Goalkeeper, Samuel Okani, has declared Nigeria is capable of winning the U-20 World Cup in Turkey after reaching the round of 16, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The 19-year-old Enyimba goalkeeper was excited to have kept a clean sheet against Korea Republic in a last group match on Thursday.

    “After winning today (Thursday), we could be contenders for the trophy,” said Okani.

    “I’m really happy we’ve made the next round, and I kept a second clean sheet in a row.”

    He appeared bewildered by the attention focused on him, remaining true to his innate modesty and even appearing a little timid. He had no reason to be, because although he is the shortest goalkeeper at the tournament, he has laid down impressive credentials so far.

    “I’ve always played in goal, and right from the start I only ever wanted to play between the sticks, even as a little boy,” he told FIFA.com

    He is motivated by the desire to emulate his biggest idol.

    “I’m amazed by Iker Casillas,” he freely admitted.

    Obuh regards Okani as one of the cornerstones of his team, the kind of player he rates as irreplaceable.

    “Chukwunenye is a terrific lad and he was top class again today,” the Nigerian coach said to FIFA.com, “My players look up to him.”

    The 53-year-old almost certainly didn’t realise the delicious irony in his choice of phrase.

    “What makes him special is his extraordinary leaping ability, and his skill and composure with the ball at his feet.”

     

  • Kayode shoots Nigeria into Round of 16: As Flying Eagles beat South Korea 1-0

    Kayode shoots Nigeria into Round of 16: As Flying Eagles beat South Korea 1-0

    The Flying Eagles of Nigeria on Thursday defeated South Korea 1-0, to qualify from Group B for the knockout stage or round of 16. The match was at the ongoing 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.

    The Nigerians finished second in Group B with six points behind seven-point Portugal, which defeated Cuba 5-0 in the other match in the group.

    Olanrewaju Kayode put Nigeria ahead when he headed home a free kick from the left by skipper Abduljaleel Ajagun in the ninth minute. Defender Wilfred Ndidi came close with header after 15 minutes off a corner and moments later Kayode’s shot missed narrowly after he was put through on goal by Michael Olaitan.

    Shehu Abdullahi also missed with a header inside the box after 32 minutes and minutes later Kayode turned sharply inside the box but his effort missed target. In the 54th minute, Nigerian goalkeeper Samuel had to dive to stop Sunggyu Han right inside his goal area.

    Nigeria continued to dominate the game, but failed to utilise the chances they had created. Kayode then forced goalkeeper Changgeun Lee to make a big save after 73 minutes and seven minutes later, substitute Samuel Eduok saw his effort from the left hit the side net.