The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) on Thursday said the body would ensure that the Flying Eagles retained the forthcoming African Youth Championship trophy billed for Algeria in March.
Chief Emeka Inyama, the Chairman NFA Media and Publicity Committee, made this known to newsmen in Abuja.
According to him, the Flying Eagles have been in camp for the past one month and have played series of friendly matches to prepare them for the competition.
“The NFF is resolutely committed to the flying eagles retaining the African Youth Championship which we won in South Africa in 2011, when hostilities commence in Algeria on March 16.
“You are of course aware that the Flying Eagles have been in camp for the past one month and have played a number of friendly matches and the team is now back in Abuja,’’ he added.
Inyama said that the Flying Eagles would play a friendly match against its Benin Republic U-20 counterparts on Saturday in Abuja.
He said that the team would depart for Cairo where it would play a series of friendly matches.
?“NFA has arranged for the team to play two friendly matches against Algeria and Egypt on Feb. 20 and Feb. 22, respectively before moving to Tunisia for the final phase of its preparation.
He stressed that the Flying Eagles had been adequately prepared to defend the trophy and to also qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.
The chairman added that the team had been slated to play at the world-famous Toulon International Tournament in France coming up in May to prepare them for the world Cup in June.
Commenting on the U-17 national team, Golden Eaglets, he said they were the future of the senior team, adding that the association was taking their priorities very seriously.
Inyama said that the Eaglet would play two friendly matches against its Botswana counterparts in Calabar on March 3 and March 5.
According to him, Botswana is in Group A of the African U-17 championship, which will hold in Morocco on April 13 to 27.
He said that the team would proceed to Aspire Academy for sports excellence in Qatar for a three week final training camp before flying into Morocco for the continental showpiece.
“We believe the Eaglets will not only qualify for the FIFA U-17 World cup in United Arab Emirates in October/November but win the competition in Morocco.’’
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