Izuchukwu Okosi
Flying Eagles chief coach, Ladan Bosso, is confident that his team will get past their group rivals in the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt following the draws held at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo on Friday evening.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelNigeria will face hosts, Egypt, Senegal and Mozambique in Group A of the tournament that will produce Africa’s four representatives at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia.
The Flying Eagles open their campaign with an opening game against host Egypt on February 19 in Cairo.
The tournament ends on March 11.
“The group is a normal group. Every team that qualifies for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations is hopeful of qualifying for the World Cup,” Bosso told the media.
“So, whether we are in a tough group or not, if you want to qualify for the World Cup, you must play against the top teams at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“We will take it step by step. We won’t put any country first, we must respect every country in our group and we’ll work towards it.
“This team is not Bosso’s team, it’s Nigeria team. So, I want everyone to pray for the team now that the draws have been made.”
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Bosso highlighted the area he feels the players would need to work on to be ready for the task ahead.
“We’ll do everything possible to improve the tempo of the players so that we can give a worthy representation,” he assured.
“Our priority is to qualify the team for the World Cup and eventually if we do, win the tournament.
“I know the calibre of players we have already and I believe they can do it, ” the onetime Wikki Tourists of NmBauchi gaffer stressed.
The coach was in charge of the Flying Eagles team to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007 hosted by Canada.
The Flying Eagles’ camp ahead of the tournament had earlier been scheduled to begin on December 28 but has now been pushed back until after the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
