Flying Eagles head for 12-day camping in Santiago

Nigeria’s U-20 boys’ team, the Flying Eagles, have departed for Chile to begin a 12-day final phase camping in the South American nation ahead of their participation in this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup finals.
 
The seven-time African champions will play all their Group F matches at the Estadio Fiscal in Talca, a city 250 kilometres from the Chilean capital, Santiago. They will first confront Norway on September 29, before clashes with Saudi Arabia (October 2) and Colombia (October 5).
 
A team of 20 players and 11 officials (midfielder Daniel Daga will join the team in Chile from his base in Norway) departed from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday evening, aboard a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul, where the contingent will connect to Santiago – venue of their final phase camping.
 
The Flying Eagles had training sessions in Abuja for some weeks before Sunday’s departure. The 24th FIFA U20 World Cup finals will be played across the cities of Santiago, Rancagua, Valparaiso and Talca. The competition, which started as the FIFA World Youth Tournament, was launched in 1977 and was first hosted by Tunisia.
 
Nigeria were narrowly edged by the Republic of Korea after extra time in the semifinals at the last championship hosted by Argentina. The country finished as runners-up in 1989 in Saudi Arabia and in 2005 in the Netherlands.
 
Group A is headed by hosts Chile, and also has New Zealand, Japan and Egypt, while Group B features South Korea, Ukraine, Paraguay and Panama.

Brazil heads Group C that also has Mexico, Morocco and Spain, while Group D includes Italy, Australia, Cuba and multiple winners Argentina. USA, New Caledonia, France and South Africa make up Group E. 

In the team for the championship are goalkeepers Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos), Clinton Ezekiel (Bayelsa United), and Rufa’i Abubakar (Mavlon FC).
 
The defenders are Ocheche Amos Onyejefu (Stade de Reims, France); Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos); Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United); Marvelous Avberosou (Ikorodu City); Alatan Azuka (36 Lions); and Akinyele Ahmed Olamide (Remo Stars).
 
The midfielders in the squad are Israel Ayuma (NK Istra, Croatia); Emmanuel Ekowoicho (FC Montana, Bulgaria); Mustapha Kamaldeen (Kwara Football Academy); Daniel Daga (Molde FC, Norway); Auwal Ibrahim (Akwa United); and Nasiru Salihu (Qabala FC, Azerbaijan), while the forwards are Achichi Oseer (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Sani Suleman (AS Trencin, Slovakia); Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC); Kparobo Arierhi (Lillestrom SK, Norway); Charles Agaba (NK Istra, Croatia); and Abdullahi Shitu Ele (Manchester City FC, England).