With the 13th All Africa Games just few days away, Nigeria has announced its 20-man squad for the men’s football competition in Ghana as the contingent are expected to arrive in Accra on Tuesday.
Head coach Isah Ladan Bosso has put his trust in a blend of experience and youth as the Flying Eagles aim to go one better than their silver medal showing in 2019.
The squad is headlined by defenders Musa Abdullahi and Godwin Sampson, midfielders Favour Izuogu and Ibrahim Idris, and forwards Nasir Muhammed and Sunday Joseph among others.
The Flying Eagles find themselves in a tricky Group B alongside Uganda, South Sudan, Senegal and Tunisia when the football competition kicks off on Friday, March 8th. Their group stage matches will be played at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium in Legon.
A strong start will be crucial for Nigeria as they aim to secure a top two finish in the group to safely progress to the knockout rounds of Africa’s premier multi-sport event.
The Nigerian contingent is scheduled to depart from Abuja on Tuesday as they finalize their preparations ahead of their opening group fixture.
In the previous edition in Rabat 2019, the Flying Eagles fell just short – losing to Burkina Faso in the final after an impressive campaign. This time, Bosso’s men are determined to go all the way and claim Nigeria’s first-ever gold medal in men’s football at the African Games.
As the packed Ghanaian stadiums prepare to embrace athletes from across the continent, Nigeria’s fledgling football stars have the opportunity to catch the eye and announce their arrival on the big stage.
With the coaches backing the players to the hilt, all eyes will be on the Flying Eagles’ quest to soar to glory over the next three weeks in Accra.