The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Flying Eagles

  • Amajita Clash: Don’t forget our mission, Aigbogun tells Flying Eagles

     

    Still basking in the euphoria of his side’s impressive takeoff at the ongoing African U-20 Nations cup in Niger, Flying Eagles coach Frank Aigbogun has challenged his boys to go all out and further consolidate against Amajitas of South Africa today.

    The ultimate mission in Niamey according to the former Enyimba coach is to pick one of the tickets to the World cup in Poland.

    Loss of concentration no matter how short he added should never be noticed in the team today noting that the Amajitas who will be fighting tooth and nail after drawing their first match will not hesitate to take chances if presented to them on a platter.

    M A T C H D A Y! We are here to qualify for the World Cup “he reminded the team while warning against underrating any opponent.

    Flying Eagles began on a victorious not handing Burundi a 2-0 defeat in the opener and would be hoping to consolidate today when the face the South Africans.

    Nigeria are no novice when it comes to the U-20 championship haven won the championship a record seven times, only Egypt has come close emerging champions four times.

    Going into today’s match Nigeria lead the group with three points followed by South Africa who drew their first match 1-1 against hosts Niger.

    In group B which has Ghana, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Mali, Ghana lead the group with three points after beating Burkina Faso in the opening match while occupy the second position with same point after beating Senegal by the same margin.

     

     

  • Flying Eagles get Rohr boost

    Ahead of next month’s African U-20 championship in the Niger Republic, Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been given a massive boost following the visit of Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Gernot Rohr to the team’s training grounds on Tuesday in Abuja, AOIFootball.com reports.

    The Franco-German was on ground to offer tactical advice to the team ahead of their return to the continental stage and was impressed with the level of preparations of the team and hopes they can produce one or two players that will fight for a place in his AFCON squad later in the year.

    The Paul Aigbogun-led boys are drawn in Group A alongside host nation Niger, Burundi and South Africa, and they kick off their campaign on Sunday against Burundi.

    The seven-time champions are scheduled to depart Nigeria on Thursday and would be eyeing qualification for the U-20 World Cup in Paraguay and also a record eighth continental crown.

  • Flying Eagles, Saudi Arabia friendly cancelled

    The proposed friendly match between Nigeria’s Flying Eagles and Saudi Arabia fixed for  next week Tuesday in the Asian land  has been cancelled.

    Nigeria’s U-20 team are at present training in Abuja ahead of the African U-20 Cup of Nations slated for the Niger Republic and the Flying Eagles were expected to use the  tie with Saudi Arabia as a tune-up towards the competition.

    An assistant coach with the team, Abdu Maikaba told NationSport that he was told that they won’t be embarking on the journey and that they will intensify their preparation for the competition in Abuja until they depart for Niger Republic on January 27.

    “I have been told that we are no longer travelling to Saudi Arabia for the friendly match. I was not given any reason for the trip’s cancellation,” Maikaba said.

    The Flying Eagles will play in Group A alongside hosts Niger, South Africa and Burundi in the competition that will start in Niamey from February 2 to 17.

  • Flying Eagles draw Niger, South Africa, Burundi

    The draw for the Total U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Niger 2019 were held on Thursday night in Niamey with Nigeria’s Flying Eagles drawn alongside hosts Niger in Group A of the competition billed for next year, AOIFootball.com reports.

    The ceremony was held at the Technical Centre of the Niger Football Federation in the capital, with CAF Deputy General Secretary, Anthony Baffoe, conducting the draw with the assistance of two former Niger players representing different generations, Moussa Kanfidena, and Issoufou Dante.

    Seven-time champions Nigeria are making a return to the competition after failing to qualify for the 2017 edition in Zambia and were drawn in a relatively fair group with neighbours Niger who are making their debut in the competition while returnee Burundi and South Africa complete the pairing.

    Group B did, however, pitch an all West African affair with the quartet of Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana all drawn in the dubbed ‘group of death’ with all four teams rekindling their existing rivalry as they battle for places at the last four.

    The final tournament will be held from February 2-17, 2019 in the Niger cities of Niamey and Maradi and the semi-finalists qualifying to represent the continent at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.

    Full Draw:

    Group A – Niger, South Africa, Nigeria, Burundi

    Group B – Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana

  • Flying Eagles whip Ghana 4-2 to reach WAFU Cup semi-finals

     

    The Flying Eagles on Wednesday rallied from behind to beat the Black Satellites of Ghana 4-2 and reach the semi-finals of the ongoing WAFU Under-20 Championship in Togo.

    After drawing goalless with Niger Republic on Sunday, the result took the seven-time African champions into the semi-finals as Group B winners on goals advantage.

    Niger Republic’s Junior Mena qualified in second place, also with four points as Nigeria, following their earlier 1-0 defeat of Ghana’s Black Satellites.

    The Ghanaians were eliminated without a point.

    The semi-finals come up on Friday, with the final match billed for Sunday.

    Emmanuel Toku had opened scoring for the Ghanaians on the half hour before Effiom Maxwell drew Nigeria level with a minute left to interval.

    Ibrahim Abubakar then coverted a penalty kick in the 80th minute to put Nigeria in the lead before Wasiu Alalade made it 3-1 two minutes later.

    Maxwell, who was later selected “Man of the Match’’, scored Nigeria’s fourth in added time.

    There was still time for Toku to score another goal and Ghana’s second in the same added time.

    The WAFU Under-20 Championship is a preparatory tournament for next year’s Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Niger Republic.

    It will hold from Feb. 2 to Feb. 17.(NAN)

     

  • Nigeria Whip Mauritania 5-0, Qualify For 2019 U-20 AFCON

    The Flying Eagles on Saturday affirmed their superiority over their Mauritanian counterparts by defeating them 5-0 to qualify 6-1 aggregate for the 2019 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

    The match played at the Agege Stadium in Lagos Nigeria were emphatic in qualifying as they completely overwhelmed their opponents.

    Nigeria were quick to take off from where they stopped a week ago in the first leg match of the fixture in Nouakchott which ended in a 1-1 draw.

    Wasiu Alalade put them in front with a well-taken shot in the 15th minute and, after a flurry of missed chances, the national under-20 male football side doubled their lead.

    This was through Nafizi Yahaya in the 33rd minute, who went on to complete his brace with a cool finish after being one-on-one with the visiting goalkeeper in first half added time.

    Aniekeme Okon scored the fourth goal in the 67th minute while the fifth goal came in the 90th minute through Afeez Aremu.

    Ikouwem Udoh, Flying Eagles captain, later attributed the victory to hardwork and the belief he and his teammates had in themselves that they could do the job.

    “I thank God for the victory and I also thank my teammates for working hard and believing in our strength.

    “We told ourselves today that, above all things, we must win and send the

    Mauritanians out of the competition. Thank God we were able to achieve that,” he said.

    Mauritania’s Junior Mourabitounes had in the qualifiers’ earlier rounds dismissed Guinea and Morocco, and the Flying Eagles now head to Niger Republic for the U-20 AFCON.

    The final competition is scheduled for Feb. 2 to Feb. 17

  • Jersey Scandal: Giwa led NFF rescues Flying Eagles

     

    *Buys kits for team before departure to Mauritania

    The Nation’s Under 20 team Flying Eagles, returned to the country after pulling a draw against Mauritania last Sunday, but it has now been revealed that the team would have hit Nouakchott without kits but for the intervention of the Chris Giwa led Nigeria Football Federation.

    An impeccable source told Sportinglife.ng that it was discovered that there were no kits in the store of the Glass House forcing the new board barely three weeks in office to go shopping for kits for the Paul Aigbogun led team to avoid national embarrassment.

    It is further understood that the Nike contract which the senior national team, the Super Eagles enjoyed ahead of the just ended World cup in Russia, did not cover other national teams.

    “The flying Eagles were set to depart and it was noticed that there were no kits in the store, so the new board had to quickly buy kits for the team before departure,” the source informed.

    But for the timely intervention the nation would have witnessed a re-enactment of the scenario few years back when the national team players were forced to cut their trousers to honour a match because the national jersey was left behind.

    Abubakar Ibrahim grabbed Flying Eagles goal in the seventh minute of the match at the Stade  Olympique, but the celebration in the Junior Eagles camp lasted only for four minutes before the hosts grabbed the equalizer.

    The Team will be hoping to consolidate in the return leg billed for Saturday July 21 at the Agege Township stadium. Coach of the team Paul Aigbogun who doubles as coach of CAF Confederation Cup campaigners Enyimba, remained optimistic that the team will post a better result at the home ground of premier league side MFM, otherwise dubbed the Temple.

  • Qualifiers: F/Eagles off to Mauritania Thursday

     

    Flying Eagles of Nigeria will Thursday leave the shores of the country for Mauritania for the first leg, third round of a two legged CAF U20 Nations Cup qualifiers.

    The Paul Aigbogun tutored side will be hoping to post an impressive run in the first leg in Nouakchott before hosting the Mauritanians in the second leg billed for July 19.

    The second leg of the clash baring last minute change of plans  is likely to be  played at the U.J Usuene Stadium which some have described as a base of luck for the Flying Eagles.

    To advance to the 3rd round of the championship, the Flying Eagles edged out Guinea Bissau 1-0 in the second leg of their tie at the UJ Esuene Stadium to advance 3-2 on aggregate. The team had in the first leg held Guinea Bissau to a 2-2 draw in Bissau. Adamu AlHassan and Calentine Ozornwarfo among others who were impressive in ties against

    Guinea Bissau will be hoping to replicate the feat when they file out against Mauritania on Friday.

    Aigbogun who doubles as Coach of CAF Confederation cup Campaigners Enyimba, stand a good chance of leading the Flying Eagles to greater heights especially when he is backed by tested assistants in Abdul Maikaba and Bala Abubakar.

    While the Flying Eagles will be sweating it out against Mauritania, in Nouakchott on Friday, Ghana will take on Benin Republic in Accra, Burkina Faso host Gabon, Zambia take on Burundi, South Africa battle Malawi, Congo slug it out with Senegal while Cameroon take on  Mali.

    The Nation  understands that Head of Technical Department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Bitrus Bewarang led a delegation of Chris Giwa group to the Flying Eagles Hotel on Wednesday where they were assured of maximum support by the Glass House and were charged to give the battle of Nouakchott coming match maximum concentration.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • U20 AFCON play-off: Flying Eagles off to Mauritania

    Nigeria U20s, the Flying Eagles, are due to fly out to Mauritania on  Tuesday for the first leg of a final playoff for a place at next year’s U20 AFCON in Niger.

    The match is slated for July 13 with the return leg a week later in Nigeria.

    The overall winners will thus advance to the 2019 U20 AFCON.

    Mauritania are the giant killers of the qualifying series after they eliminated Morocco and Guinea.

    The Flying Eagles, who sent packing Guinea Bissau in the previous rounds of the qualifiers, failed to qualify for last year’s tournament in Zambia after they were beaten by Sudan.

    In the meantime, the team are sweating on the fitness of Kano Pillars midfield star Ibrahim Alhassan.

    Alhassan did not feature in yesterday’s test match against The Citizens of Abuja, which the Flying Eagles laboured to a 1-0 victory.

  • 10-man Sudan send Flying Eagles out of U20 AFCON

    10-man Sudan send Flying Eagles out of U20 AFCON

    •Beat Nigeria 4-3

    DEFENDING champions Flying Eagles of Nigeria have crashed out of the 2017 U20 AFCON after they lost on the away goals rule following a 4-3 loss to 10-man Sudan Saturday.

    Nigeria won the first leg 2-1 in Sudan, but the Young Falcons cruised through having scored more away goals after aggregate scores stood at 5-5.

    Inexperience, poor goalkeeping and finishing were responsible for the Flying eagles sensational ouster on a rain-soaked day inside the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

    Star striker Victor Osimhen was also off colour in the city he was born and grew up.

    Samuel Chukwueze opened scoring for the Flying Eagles after 19 minutes through a brilliant solo effort.

    However, Sudan drew level minutes later through Ahmed, before Funsho Bamgboye made it 2-1 on 26 minutes.

    However, Sudan again restored parity when they cashed in on a defensive lapse two minutes from the interval through Halid Abdamuleem.

    Sudan then took the lead at 3-2 before orji Okonkwo equalised for Nigeria after 67 minutes.

    However, the visitors had the last laugh when Nigeria conceded an own goal seven minutes from time.

    Flying Eagles starting XI: Akpan Udoh  Ibe Tobechukwu, Ejike Ikwu, Lukman Zakari, Anumudu Udochukwu  Chukwudi Agor, Kelechi Nwakali, Gavin Thompson  Samuel Chukwueze, Funsho Bamgboye, Victor Osimhen.