NFF Names 26 Players For U-17 AFCON
The Nigeria Football Federation on Sunday in Abuja released a list of 26 players picked for the country’s participation in the 2023 Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations in Algeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the list has 16 players from various football academies across the country, while the rest 10 are from amateur clubsides.
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, who are five-time world champions, are scheduled to arrive in the Algerian city of Constantine on Sunday night for their final preparations for the competition.
NAN reports that the team was earlier scheduled to finalise their preparations in Germany, ahead of the competition billed for Saturday to May 19.
“Following complications which arose in the process of securing entry visa into Germany for a planned final training camp in that country, the NFF opted to send the squad earlier to Algeria for the final build-up.
”Constantine, the renowned city where the Eaglets will take on Morocco, Zambia and South Africa in Group B, is the choice,” Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, said on Sunday in a statement.
NAN reports that the Eaglets, whose coaching crew is headed by Nduka Ugbade, swept all before them to win the WAFU B Under-17 Championship in Cape Coast, Ghana in June.
They have since put on display tremendous firepower in their preparations for the continental showpiece.
After resuming camp mid-March following the break for the general elections, the Eaglets played 12 friendly matches at their FIFA Goal Project pitch base in Abuja.
They won 11 of the matches and drew the other one, scoring a total of 66 goals and conceding 14.
“We are going to Algeria with confidence but with level heads. We’re the champions of WAFU B, but in essence, nothing has been won.
“What matters now are winning a ticket to the FIFA World Cup and winning the Africa Cup. I believe we have the boys to do the job,” Ugbade was quoted as saying before the team departed Nigeria on Sunday.
Nigeria will launch their campaign for honours at the 12-team continental championship on April 30, against Zambia at the 22,000-capacity Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui.
They will then take on Morocco and South Africa in other matches in Group B.
The top four-placed teams in Algeria will qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup finals scheduled for later this year.
