Nigeria ’s U-20 men’s team, Flying Eagles, will fly out of Spain on Friday to challenge for the ultimate marble at the 17th FIFA U-20 World Cup taking place in Egypt from 24th September to 16th October.
Runners–up in 1989 and 2005, Nigeria are lumped in Group B of this year’s tournament alongside Spain, Venezuela and Tahiti. Argentina, who have won the competition six times, with five wins in the past seven editions, and who defeated Nigeria in the final of the 2005 championship in Holland, failed to reach this year’s finals.
Nigeria’s Head Coach, Samson Siasia, who coached the Class of 2005 that lost in the final to Argentina, and also led the U-23 team to Olympic silver in Beijing last year (also losing to Argentina in the final), looks to go all the way in the three–week, 24 –nation finals. The team will fly out of Spain from Barcelona aboard Egypt Air Fllight MS 768 and arrive in Cairo by 7:25pm local time on Friday.
“We have confidence and we have the players to do us proud. The training camps in Qatar and Spain have helped the team greatly and we are heading to Egypt believing we can conquer”, said Siasia, a former World Cup star.
The Flying Eagles have spent the last 18 days in a training camp in Mallorca, Spain, and on Saturday forced Honduras U-20 team to a 1-1 draw in a friendly game in Alicante.
Samson Siasia has picked a blend of foreign–based players with firm feet on ground and confident, active home–based players who have illusions.
Nigeria’s first match is against Venezuela at the Al Salam Stadium, Cairo on September 25, before they play Spain on September 28. Their final group phase game is against Tahiti, the Oceania champions at the expansive Cairo International Stadium on Nigeria’s Independence Day.
With God all things are possible. We no we are winners. Long live nigeria, long live soccer fans.
I wish Siasia & his boys good luck, they will go all the way & win the cup.
With God all things are possible and with the dedication of siasia and the deterrmination of our boys we shall carry the day at egypt..we all are praying for the team.
I believe the flying eagles will come home with the cup if given all the necessary support. Lets continue to pray for them.
Kevin Ikpah in USA
Yes, we are praying for the team and the Siasia crew technical members on board. We are aware of the uncertainty of our home base. We need something to cheer us up; something to give us joy not tears. We have had enough in Nigeria the home of soccer players but with poor selection of prayers of quarter bases, bribery and corruptions in every quarter or department. We are crying, give us Siasia but we are not facing the reality of the bad administration of games in Nigeria. Why? Do they read all that had been written on web pages of Nigerian news papers and international news media? How can we improve if we do not read to understand the issues of world games and see what we are lacking?
I believe, we have good couches but bad godfather to make their choice of give and take. That is, “we will offer you so much but get back this much from your hard work whether success of failure.” I do not know why we can not see the hand writing on the walls of Jerusalem: doom for our soccer. I wonder what the youths are doing to stop this foolishness.
I just wish Siasia and his team good luck as Nigerians are expecting a good outing there in Egypt. Long live Nigerian soccer, long live soccer loving Nigerians everywhere in our world. I can not wait to see the boys of Siasia to go wining! Wining!! and wining!!! Amen.
Kevin Ikpah
we need prayer , everyhing good things need prayer so also everything bad require prayers, over condidence sometimes gives problem, lets pray for them to win the cup. I pray God will help them to win their match in Jesus name- Amen
Samson Siasia is good enough to lead the flying eagles to win the gold this time around, but the NFF should not continue to dilydaly again.They should alow him to handle the Super Eagles for the sake of our football.
I wish our flying eagles good luck. I can see Samson SIASIA go all the way to the final, and win the gold for the first tim for Nigeria.
I hope the Siasia boys will do us proud. I ve confidence in the selection of players and no doubt with the technical prowness of the coach, the flying eagles will definately fly with victory. Up Nigeria!
I WISH THE FLYING EAGLES GOOD LUCK