Sam John Obuh’s Flying Eagles learnt the ropes in a qualifying competition in difficult way but managed to scale through with a 2-0 win over Guinea in Abuja on Saturday.

The bulk of the team is made up of the national U-17 team that reached the FIFA U_17 World Cup final on home soil late last year, but that team did not suffer a qualifying series as hosts Nigeria earned automatic berth.

This time, they have to go through that route for the 2011 African Youth Championship, and baptism was not made easy by an enterprising Guinean team determined not to lose on the turf of the National Stadium, Abuja.

Skilful positional play, short passing and excellent ball control by the Guineans entertained the sparse crowd at the National Stadium, Abuja but the five –time African champions took the game by the scruff at the start of the second half, scoring two goals within two minutes to wrap up the game.

First, it was Omoh Ojabu’s intelligent chip following the visiting goalkeeper’s adventure outside his box, and then Edafe Egbedi slammed home from close range to give the Nigerians a two–goal cushion going into the return leg in Conakry in two weeks.