The Flying Eagles of Nigeria held their final training session on Wednesday morning in preparation for their crucial 2024 WAFU Zone B Championship Group A clash against the Ivory Coast at the Municipal Stadium in Lome, Togo.
The session, which began at 8 a.m. local time (9 a.m. Nigerian time), lasted an hour, with the coaching staff focusing on tactical drills. Nineteen players participated, except for striker, Kparobo Ariehi, who is recovering from minor blisters.
Following a 1-0 loss to Burkina Faso in their opening match, the Flying Eagles are determined to secure a victory against the Ivory Coast in order to advance to the semi-finals. The team’s media officer, Sharif Abdullah, revealed that the players held a crucial meeting led by captain Daniel Bameyi on Monday, vowing to give their all in the upcoming match.
“The spirit in the camp is extremely high,” Abdullah said. “The boys know what’s at stake, and they are fully motivated. They’ve discussed drawing inspiration from past setbacks, such as their comeback during the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Egypt and the Africa Games.”
Head coach Aliyu Zubairu acknowledged that the physicality of Burkina Faso disrupted their game plan in the first match but believes the fast and gritty style of the Ivory Coast will present a different challenge.
The WAFU B U-20 Championship serves as a qualifier for the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, with only the finalists securing spots. The 2025 U20 AFCON will also act as a gateway to the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, with the top four teams automatically qualifying.
