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Nigeria’s
U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, will today depart for South Africa ahead
of the Africa Youth Championship (AYC) which kicks off this Sunday
through May 1.

The Flying Eagles
are booked into the Southern Sun Grayston in Johannesburg, and will
play their Group B matches at the Rand Stadium.

Nigeria alongside
seven other African countries, will battle for a ticket to the Youth
World Cup billed for Colombia later this year and winning the top prize
from the tournament.

Coach John Obuh
last week, named a 21-man list for the championship and remains
confident that his lads are good enough to conquer Africa and get an
unprecedented 6th African title.

The Flying Eagles
take on reigning world champions and bitter rivals, Black Satellites of
Ghana, in the opening match of Group B at the Rand Stadium on Monday
and also have dates with perennial rivals Cameroon and Gambia.

According to Obuh,
who was at the helm of affairs when the Golden Eaglets won silver at
the last edition of the Cadet World Cup hosted in Nigeria, his players
are now more matured and set to improve on their previous performances.

“The U-17
competition was held two years ago, so the players are two years more
mature and better now, and so we hope to go one better this time
around”, he said.

He added: “I will not single out any side because all the teams that have qualified for the AYC do deserve to be there”.

Obuh also defended
his decision to include VVV Venlo striker, Ahmed Musa in his final
squad; a move that has been faulted by some fans.

“I also don’t see his inclusion in the U-20s as a retrogressive step
because he has been very much a part of the team” he explained. He
added: “If he could do well with the Super Eagles, I don’t see why he
cannot do same with the Flying Eagles”.