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Tag: WAFU B

  • Danjuma picks Ajakaye, Onyenezide, Sebastine for WAFU B tourney

    Danjuma picks Ajakaye, Onyenezide, Sebastine for WAFU B tourney

    Head Coach Chris Danjuma has selected midfielders Taiwo Afolabi and Esther Onyenezide, and forwards Flourish Sebastine and Opeyemi Ajakaye in Nigeria’s 20-woman squad for the forthcoming WAFU B U20 Women Tournament taking place in Kumasi, Ghana.

    Danjuma, who steered the Nigerian girls to the last eight of last year’s World Cup in Costa Rica, has also picked goalkeeper Inyene Etim, defenders Comfort Folorunsho and Jumoke Alani, midfielders Chioma Olise and Blessing Emmanuel, and forwards Omowunmi Bello and Goodness Osigwe.

    Afolabi, Folorunsho, Ajakaye and Emmanuel were in the Nigeria U17 girls’ team that won the bronze medals at last year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in India.

    This year’s tournament, scheduled for 20 May – 4 June, pits the Falconets in Group B against the U20 girls of Niger Republic, Burkina Faso and Togo. Hosts Ghana will confront the U20 girls of Benin Republic and Cote d’Ivoire in Group A.

    Ghana and Benin Republic will lift the curtain on the tournament at the Baba Yara Stadium on Saturday, 20 May before FIFA World Cup quarter-finalists Nigeria take on Niger Republic and Burkina Faso tango with Togo on Sunday, 21 May.

    The Falconets will then play Togo on 24 May, also at the Baba Yara Stadium, before trading tackles with Burkina Faso Paa Joe Stadium on Sunday, 28 May.

    FALCONETS FOR WAFU B U20 WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT

    Goalkeepers: Inyene Etim, Shukura Bakare, Chinyere Mgbechi

    Defenders: Jumoke Alani, Oluchi Ohaegbulem, Chidinma Ogbuchi, Comfort Folorunsho, Blessing Okpe, Monica Ameh

    Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi, Chioma Olise, Chinyere Kalu, Esther Onyenezide, Blessing Emmanuel

    Forwards: Shukurat Oladipo, Goodness Osigwe, Flourish Sebastine, Omowunmi Bello, Opeyemi Ajakaye, Judith Okah

  • Fireworks expected as Flying Eagles tackle Junior Chipolopolo in Abuja

    Fireworks expected as Flying Eagles tackle Junior Chipolopolo in Abuja

     

     

    Egypt-bound Nigeria and Zambia U20 teams clash in a prestige encounter at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Friday evening, in what promises to be a fierce encounter with both gearing up for the Africa U20 Cup of Nations starting in the North African nation in a fortnight.

     

    A 35-man delegation of the 2017 Africa U20 Cup of Nations champions landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Thursday afternoon, aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight from Addis Ababa. The delegation included 23 players and 12 officials.

     

    They will confront the Flying Eagles, seven-time champions of Africa, at the main bowl of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium from 4pm on Friday.

     

    Champions of the WAFU B U20 Championship held in Niger Republic in May 2022, the Flying Eagles have been drawn to play hosts Egypt, Senegal and Mozambique in Group A of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations taking place 18th February – 12th March this year.

     

    Zambia won the 2017 Africa U20 Cup of Nations which they hosted, and then reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA U20 World Cup in Korea Republic the same year, before losing to Italy after extra time in Suwon.

     

    In Egypt, Zambia will be up against Tunisia, Benin Republic and The Gambia in Group C, while Uganda, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Congo battle things out in Group B.

     

    NFF lectures Clubs on new CAF Club Licensing System and Stadium Regulations

     

    The Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday organized a seminar for General Managers and Club Licensing Managers of teams in the Nigeria Premier Football League and the Nigeria Women Football League, with a view to briefing them adequately on the Confederation of African Football’s new regulatory framework for the Club Licensing System and Stadium Regulations.

     

    The regulations include a fresh edition of the CAF Men’s Club Licensing Regulations, first-ever edition of the CAF Women’s Club Licensing Regulations, a fresh CAF Club Licensing Quality Standard, a dedicated CAF Club Licensing Catalogue of Sanctions and a fresh CAF Stadium Regulations.

     

    Inside the Conference Room of the NFF/FIFA Goal Project facility of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, the Club Licensing Unit of the NFF took participants through the frameworks, regulations and requirements that strengthen the Club Licensing System for men and women’s football for continental and domestic competitions, define the minimum standards that Member Associations or affiliated Leagues (as Licensors) must comply with in order to operate the Club Licensing System, establish a categorization of stadium technical requirements per type of CAF Competition and set out sanctions to be applied for lack of proper implementation by Member Associations.

     

    The changes include: 1) CAF has moved away from the A, B and C types of criteria. Under the CAF Men’s Club Licensing Regulations (edition 2022), two types of criteria are introduced: continental and domestic criteria. ‘Continental’ applies to Clubs participating in CAF Interclubs competitions and the ‘Domestic’ must be defined by each MA for their men’s top tier competition, respecting the minimum criteria and requirements established in the CAF regulations.

     

    2) Licensors must now include as a criterion, at a minimum in their top tier men’s national club competition, articles 26, 26, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 39, 40, 41, 42, 47, 48, 53, 54, 55, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62 and 63 from the CAF Men’s Club Licensing regulations into their National Men’s Club Licensing Regulations, while adjusting the requirements in each criterion to the domestic competition regulations.

     

    3) Improvements have been made to areas such as child protection and welfare, medical care of players, women’s football teams, club administrative positions and qualifications, and tighter deadlines for overdue payables.

     

    4) There is now a requirement for women’s football teams, which means that clubs intending to participate in the CAF Interclubs competitions must have a minimum one women’s first team participating in a competition sanctioned by the Member Association.

     

    5) The purpose of the CAF Stadium Regulations is to define the technical requirements to be met by stadiums for use in football competitions under the auspices of CAF, with a view to providing the best conditions for football practice, safety, functionality and comfort for players, fans and officials. The regulations govern the minimum structural criteria to be fulfilled by a stadium for it to be classified (in ascending order) as CAF category 1, 2, 3 or 4 based on the different types, grades and categories of matches and championships.

  • Algeria 2023: Ugbade calls 48 players to camp in Abuja

    Algeria 2023: Ugbade calls 48 players to camp in Abuja

    Nigeria’s U17 squad, Golden Eaglets will begin their preparations for this year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations on Monday, after Head Coach Nduka Ugbade called 48 players to camp in Nigeria’s federal capital.

    The invitees, which include most of the bunch that won the WAFU B U17 Championship in the Ghanaian city of Cape Coast last summer, have been told to report to Abuja on Friday, 20th January 2023.

    The Africa U17 Cup of Nations has been scheduled for Algeria 8th – 30th April, from which the four top-placed teams will qualify to fly Africa’s flag at the FIFA U17 World Cup finals that will be staged in Peru 10th November – 2nd December.

    Nigeria are five-time champions of the FIFA U17 World Cup after triumphs in China in 1985, Japan in 1993, Korea Republic in 2007, United Arab Emirates in 2013 and Chile in 2015.

    ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

    Richard Odoh, Hameed Ayomide Balogun, Ebube Wisdom Okere, Umar Abubakar, Tochukwu Simeon Ogbabido, Tochukwu Joseph Ogboji, Utibe Friday Silas, Emmanuel Osaro Onotu, Jubril Odeyemi Azeez, Faruq Jimoh, Kevwe Onomigho Iyede, Suleiman Shehu, Abdullahi Buhari, Victor Divine Emmanuel, Daniel Ayomide Egunshola, Abubakar Shuaibu, Ozor Victor Okeke, Emmanuel Michael, Miracle Jackson Ogwor, Light Chijioke Eke, Raphael Oyebanjo, Miracle Agabi Williams, Yahaya Danjuma Lawali, Prince Oche Bawa, Favour Oluwasegun Daniel, Precious Tonye Williams, Jerry Patrick Ogbole, Emmanuel Junior Chidi, Mubarak Emmanuel Suleiman, Abubakar Ibrahim Zubairu, Richard Oliseamaka Uche, Joseph Oluwatobi Robert, Michael Uche Ogba, John Auta, Shola Oluwafemi Kolo, Pascal Obioma Uzoho, Victor Friday, Itaribo Ayebaekepriye, Jeremiah Oluwaseyi Olaleke, Basil Chimaobi Mbata, Oluwadare Olodan, Precious Benjamin, Tochukwu Michael Agbo, Samuel Aderibigbe, Abubakar Idris Abdullahi, Umar Jamiu, Tijjani Mohammed, Abdullahi Haruna

  • Egypt 2023: Bosso invites 40 to Flying Eagles’ camp in Abuja

    Egypt 2023: Bosso invites 40 to Flying Eagles’ camp in Abuja

    Head Coach of the U20 Boys’ National Team, Isah Ladan Bosso has called up 40 players to begin camping in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja from Monday, 28th November in preparation for next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations finals in Egypt.

    The list is made up of five goalkeepers, nine defenders, 13 midfielders and 13 forwards. The players will stay at the Serob Legacy Hotel in the Wuye area of the nation’s capital.

    The seven-time African champions triumphed at the WAFU B U20 Championship held in Niger Republic in the month of May and thus qualified to represent the zone at the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations to be staged in Egypt 18th February – 12th March.

    All four semi -finalists at the U20 AFCON will fly Africa’s flag at next year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals holding in Indonesia.

     

    ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

    Goalkeepers: Nathaniel Nwosu (Water FC); Kingsley Aniagboso (Giant Brillars); Saheed Jimoh (Adoration FC); Kehinde Ogundele (Insurance FC); Edward Ameh (Mailantarki FC)

    Defenders: Oluwatosin Adegbite (Enyimba FC): Benjamin Frederick (Nasarawa United); David Sholumade (Akwa United); Sunday Haruna (Wikki Tourists); Dominion Ohaka (Water FC); Shaibu Hassan (Smart City); Solomon Agbalaka (Broad City); Adedoyin Odele (36 Lion); Junior Nduka (Remo Stars)

     

    Midfielders: Daniel Daga (Dakkada FC); Hassan Anas (Vandrezzer FC); Ogbelu Onuche (Fosla FC); Udoh Godwin (City FC Abuja): Muhammad Aminu (Gombe United); Sambo Shehu (Katsina United); Samuel Longbak (Plateau United); Ozuka Ogochukwu (Katsina United); Alex Oyewah (Bayelsa United); Obiaku Ifesinachi (36 Lion); Caleb Ochedikwu (Mavloon FC); Christopher Chinedu (Unique FC); Isaac Ayuma (Mavloon FC)

    Forwards: Rilwanu Haliru (Mahanaim FC); Tolulope Ojo (Phoenix FC); John Edwin (Water FC); Divine Nwachukwu (Insurance FC); Albert Hilary (Plateau United); Ibrahim Yahaya (Wikki Tourists); Umar Badamasi (El-Kanemi Warriors); Adam Abdulrahaman (Mahanim FC); Azeez Akintunde (3SC); Sunday Emmanuel (Empire FC): Emmanuel Jonas (Niger Tornadoes); Francis Ayuba (Nasarawa United); Emmanuel Justin (Unique FC)

  • Nigeria beat Burkina Faso to win WAFU B Under-17 Championship

    Five-time world champions Golden Eaglets on Friday edged the Young Stallions of Burkina Faso 2-1 to win the WAFU B Under-17 Championship at the Cape Coast Stadium in Ghana.

    The victory for Nigeria has come barely few weeks after they claimed the WAFU B Under-20 Championship.

    Then, they had beaten neighbours Republic of Benin in Niger Republic to claim the title.

    The under-17 championship’s final match saw Nigeria on the front foot early as forward Abubakar Abdullahi threatened the Burkinabe rear as early as the 8th minute.

    That was when his low drive streamed away from goal.

    But in the 22nd minute, Abdullahi made up for the missed chance as he rose highest in the box to powerfully nod Emmanuel Michael’s perfect delivery into the net.

    Abdullahi missed another golden opportunity to grab a brace, as he flulled his lines, thereby allowing the Stallions a respite.

    The miss would knock hard seven minutes later, when Abdulramane Ouedraogo, equalised for Burkina Faso also with a header.

    Two minutes into the second half, Abdullahi got his brace and Nigeria’s second goal, giving the Golden Eaglets a 2-1 lead.

    Twelve minutes later, he should have made it a hat-trick with Nigeria’s third but he lost the opportunity.

    The loss could once more have proved costly, as the Stallions broke forward, only to see Nigeria goalkeeper Richard Odoh come up with a magnificent save.

    Ebube Okeke rocked the crossbar from 25 yards in the 67th minute.

    But there were to be no more goals as Nigeria collected a second regional diadem at youth level.

    At the end of the game, Nigeria’s goalkeeper Odoh was selected the Man-of-the-Match.

    His compatriot Emmanuel Michael had won the prize in all three previous matches —-against Ghana, Togo and Cote d’Ivoire.

  • WAFU B U 17: Ugbade pumps up Eaglets’ spirit ahead final against Etalons

    Head Coach Nduka Ugbade has told his Nigeria U17 boys they still have grounds to conquer despite securing a ticket to the Africa U17 Cup of Nations taking place in Algeria next year.

     “We are going into the Final match, and we are up against Burkina Faso, a team that has won all its four matches in this competition. We have also won our three matches here but we must win the fourth and final one to clinch the trophy. Let us not allow Burkina Faso to play five matches and win all five matches. We must work assiduously to win all our four matches here to be the only undefeated team of the tournament,” Ugbade told the Golden Eaglets at a training session in Cape Coast on Wednesday.

     Ugbade and the Eaglets have drawn rave reviews so far at the WAFU B U17 Championship, after scoring 10 goals in their three matches, while conceding only four, as left back Emmanuel Michael picked up the Man-of-the-Match award in each of the three games.

     While Nigeria did the business in a three-team Group A that also included hosts Ghana and Togo, Burkina Faso were in the four-team Group that included Niger Republic, Cote d’Ivoire and Benin Republic. The Young Etalons dominated them all, and then pipped three-time world champions Ghana 1-0 in the second semi final on Tuesday to set up a potentially explosive Final with the Golden Eaglets.

     Deadball revelation Emmanuel Michael will be the cynosure of eyes at the Cape Coast Stadium on Friday evening, having scored thrice from free-kicks for Nigeria in this tournament. The match begins at 6.30pm Ghana time (7.30pm Nigeria time).

     

    Nigeria and Burkina Faso are already qualified to the Africa U17 Championship which Algeria will host next year, and from which Africa’s flagbearers to next year’s FIFA U17 World Cup in Peru will emerge.

     

    Victory on Friday evening will mean Nigeria have swept the stakes in youth football in the seven-nation WAFU B within one month, with the U20 Boys (Flying Eagles) having won the WAFU B U20 Championship in Niger Republic just last month.

  • WAFU B U17: Eaglets go for broke against Junior Elephants in semi final clash

     

     Head Coach Nduka Ugbade has assured that Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will go all out against their Ivorian counterparts in Tuesday’s first semi final match of the ongoing WAFU B U17 Championship in Cape Coast, Ghana.

     Both teams take to the pitch of the 15,000 –capacity facility at 3pm Ghana time (4pm Nigeria time) before the second semi final between hosts Ghana and Burkina Faso at the same venue.

     “The match against Cote d’Ivoire is of high importance to us. In fact, I have reminded the players that this one is the biggest match of their lives. They must win to secure a ticket to the U17 Africa Cup of Nations, and from there to the U17 World Cup, and from there to several opportunities and possibilities.

     “Whatever we have done here (beating Ghana and Togo) will not mean much if we don’t go all out and grab our ticket to the AFCON and to the Final. We will throw everything into the fray.”

     The Eaglets, five-time world champions, decimated Ghana’s Black Starlets 4-2 in the tournament opener and then eased past Togo’s Young Sparrowhawks 3-1 to finish as Group A winners. The Ivorians finished as runners-up of Group B, dominated by Burkina Faso’s Young Etalons.

     Victory in Tuesday’s encounter will send the Eaglets into the Final and with an opportunity to reclaim the WAFU B U17 title they won in Niamey, Niger Republic four years ago. It also provides the Nigerian youngsters a revenge platform against the Ivorians, who defeated them in the Final of the same competition in Lome early last year. Both Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire qualified for the Africa U17 Cup of Nations from that tournament but the event was cancelled as hosts Morocco developed cold feet with the covid-19 pandemic still biting in some countries.

     Meanwhile, President of the Ghana Football Association, Simeon Kurt-Okraku on Sunday visited the camp of the Golden Eaglets in his capacity as President of WAFU B region. He reminded the lads that Nigeria belongs to the top echelon of football –playing nations on the African continent, and has produced so many world –class players. He charged the boys to always adhere to the instructions of their coaches in order to grow, advance and excel in the beautiful game.  

     

  • Flying Eagles qualify for 2023 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations

    Flying Eagles qualify for 2023 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations

    Nigeria’s national under-20 male football team, the Flying Eagles on Tuesday overpowered Cote d’Ivoire in the first semi-final match to reach the final of the ongoing WAFU B Under-20 Championship in Niamey.

    The 2-1 victory not only gave them a ticket to Saturday’s final match but also came a ticket to next year’s Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations scheduled for Egypt.

    Midfielder Daniel Daga put Nigeria in front after only five minutes, when he cleverly escaped the attention of the Ivorian defenders to nod in from a well-weighted pullout.

    The seven-time African champions then launched onslaughts after onslaughts on the Ivorian goal but failed to add to the tally.

    It was rather the Ivorians who equalised just before half-time from an intelligently-taken free-kick at the edge of Nigeria’s penalty box.

    Neither team could find another goal to gain upper hand before the end of regulation time inside the Stade General Seyni Kountché in Niamey, and the game went into extra time.

    Forward Ibrahim Yahaya got the winner for Nigeria in the 111th minute of play when he tucked in from the penalty kick spot to make it 2-1.

    Nigeria will now square up against neighbours Benin Republic in Saturday’s final match.

  • Nigeria defeat Ghana 2-0 in U20 AFCON qualifying tournament

    Nigeria defeat Ghana 2-0 in U20 AFCON qualifying tournament

    Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles defeated their Ghanaian counterparts 2-0 in the opening match of Group B of the WAFU B U20 Championship in Niamey on Sunday, scooping all three points and putting a foot in the semi finals of a competition from where the zone’s flag-bearers to next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations will emerge.

    Ibrahim Muhammad put the Nigerians’ noses in front after only 6 minutes, and the seven –time African champions showed composure, confidence and calmness as they dominated the Black Satellites easily.

    Adams Olubi could have made it 2-0 for Nigeria towards the end of the first half but fluffed his lines after a good team move had carved open the Ghanaian rearguard and left him with only the goalkeeper to beat.

    The Flying Eagles eventually made sure of the three points in the second half at the Stade General Seyni Kountché, when substitute Ahmed Abdullahi slotted into the net in the 78th minute after a series of onslaughts left the Ghanaians in disarray.

    The three points put Nigeria in pole position to qualify from a group that has only three teams. The Flying Eagles will play their last match of the group on Wednesday against Burkina Faso.

    The result could determine the fate of Cup holders and reigning African champions Ghana, as they would be condemned to defeat the Burkinabes when both teams clash at the same venue on Sunday next week.

    Scorer of Nigeria’s first goal, Ibrahim Muhammad was voted man of the match.

  • Flying Eagles up against Black Satellites as WAFU B begins

    Flying Eagles up against Black Satellites as WAFU B begins

    For Nigeria, the race to next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations begins on Sunday when seven-time African champions Nigeria go up against arch rivals Ghana in a potentially –intense opener to Group B at the WAFU B U20 Championship in Niamey.

    Both West African giants will flex muscles at the Stade General Seyni Kountché in the Nigerien capital as from 5pm, with the winner certain to be on firm footing for a place in the semi finals from a pool boasting only three teams. Burkina Faso is the other team in the group, and they will take on the Flying Eagles on Wednesday next week.

    Ghana are the defending champions of both the WAFU B U20 Championship and the Africa U20 Cup of Nations. In Porto Novo at the end of year 2020, the Black Satellites defeated their counterparts from Burkina Faso 2-1 in the final to lift the trophy, and then went ahead to defeat Uganda 2-0 in the final of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania few months later.

    However, the global coronavirus pandemic obliterated the global finals that were slated for Indonesia.

    Head Coach Ladan Bosso returned to Niamey on Friday after attending the third-day fidau prayers for his late mother. Bosso believes his boys are in good spirit following a 1-0 win over the Niger Republic U20 team and another 4-0 win over a Nigerien top League team in their last two preparatory matches in Niamey.

    Team Secretary Aliyu Ibrahim Lawal told thenff.com that officials of the Nigeria Embassy in Niamey have been very supportive of the team and are making efforts to mobilize Nigerians living in the Nigerien capital to come and support the Flying Eagles at the big match.

    The tournament opens on Saturday with hosts Niger Republic slugging it out with the U20 boys of Cote d’Ivoire as from 5pm, while Togo and Benin Republic clash as from 8pm. Both matches come up at the Stade General Seyni Kountché.

    Only the two finalists will qualify to represent WAFU B at next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations to be hosted by Egypt. Indonesia will host the 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup finals.