Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has announced his final 24-man squad for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on April 27 in Egypt. The Nigerian team blends home-based talents with a handful of foreign-based players, all of whom have been training in Abuja ahead of their departure.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the squad features familiar names like first-choice goalkeeper Ifeanyi Harcourt, captain and defender Daniel Bameyi, midfield engine Sulaiman Alabi, and forward Kparobo Arierhi of Norway’s Lillestrom SK. The team is set to leave for Cairo this Sunday, April 20, and will play warm-up matches before their opening game.
Nigeria’s group stage campaign begins against Tunisia on May 1, followed by Morocco on May 4, and then Kenya on May 7. The top four teams from the competition will earn tickets to the FIFA U-20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Chile from September 27 to October 19.
Coach Zubairu has called up several players from European clubs, including Emmanuel Chukwu and Precious Benjamin of Hoffenheim, and Caleb Ochedikwu of NK Uljanik Pula. He emphasized the team’s readiness and mix of experience and hunger, saying, “This squad has shown great commitment in training and we believe they can make the country proud.”
The full squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers:
- Ifeanyi Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos)
- Rufai Abubakar (Mavlon FC)
- Soliu Ajia Yakub (FK Novi Pazar, Serbia)
Defenders:
- Adamu Maigari (El-Kanemi Warriors)
- Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos)
- Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United)
- Emmanuel Chukwu (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany)
- Chigozie Michael Ihejiofor (Katsina United)
Midfielders:
- Caleb Ochedikwu (NK Uljanik Pula, Croatia)
- Israel Isaac Ayuma (NK Istra, Croatia)
- Simon Cletus (Mavlon FC)
- Sulaiman Alabi (El-Kanemi Warriors)
- Auwal Ibrahim (Akwa United)
- Shafiu Duguri (Wikki Tourists)
Forwards:
- Precious Benjamin (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany)
- Ezekiel Anthony Kpangu (Inspire FC)
- Divine Oliseh (Forster Academy)
- Clinton Jephta (Enyimba FC)
- Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire FC)
- Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC)
- Theophilus Mendos Rickson (Niger Tornadoes)
- Kparobo Nathaniel Arierhi (Lillestrom SK, Norway)
- Matthew Kingsley (Kings FC)
- Yushau Armiyau (Katsina United)
Nigeria, seven-time winners of the U-20 AFCON and two-time FIFA U-20 World Cup runners-up, are aiming for an eighth title this year.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
