Remo Stars’ Ahmed Akinyele and Ikorodu City FC’s Marvelous Freedom made the Flying Eagles squad list for the WAFU B U20 Boys Tournament.
The two young defenders were among the top performers in the 24/25 NPFL season.
During the season, Ahmed reached a milestone of 50 NPFL games, a big feat for a U20 defender.
Marvelous Freedom was part of the Cinderella run of the exciting Ikorodu City FC team that shook the league.
WAFU B U20: Aliyu Zubairu And His Flying Eagles Already In Ghana
The Flying Eagles have commenced training sessions in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, ahead of the kick-off of this year’s WAFU B U20 Boys Tournament.
Earlier scheduled as an expanded tourney involving teams from the 9-nation WAFU A, organizers have had to revert to the WAFU B-only arrangement, with the Ghanaian capital hosting the competition scheduled for 10th – 23rd July.
Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu has picked captain Daniel Bameyi and 19 other players, with a scoop from the group that finished third at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt two months ago and thus qualified to represent Africa at the FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile later this year.
Goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt is a prominent figure in the team alongside defender Odinaka Okoro, midfielders Bidemi Amole, Ezekiel Kpangu, Divine Oliseh, and Tahir Maigana.
Several new birds have been born, including Bayelsa United goalkeeper Clinton Andy, defenders Abba Sadiq and Marvelous Freedom, midfielder Abduljelil Kamaldeen, and forwards Imrana Muhammad and Qudus Olayiwola.
Nigeria, winners of the last two editions of the WAFU B U20 Championships (hosted by Niger Republic and Togo respectively), will take on hosts Ghana in the opening match of Group A on Thursday, by 3 pm on Thursday, 10th July. The venue is the Prampram Centre in Accra.
The Flying Eagles will then face the Benin Republic on Sunday, 13th July, in a three-team Group A.
Meanwhile, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and Togo make up Group B. The Ivorians and the Burkinabes will clash in the group’s first match on Thursday.
20 FLYING EAGLES IN GHANA FOR WAFU B U20 TOURNAMENT:
Goalkeepers: Ifeanyi Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos); Clinton Andy (Bayelsa United)
Defenders: Abba Khalid Sadiq (Niger Tornadoes); Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos); Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United); Akinniran Oluwashile (Water FC); Ahmed Akinyele (Remo Stars); Marvelous Freedom (Ikorodu City).
Midfielders: Divine Oliseh (Forster Academy); Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire FC); Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC); Ezekiel Kpangu (Inspire Academy); Rawa Mohammed (Beyond Limits); Matthew Kingsley (Kings FC); Abduljelil Kamaldeen (Kwara Football Academy); Shafiu Adamu Duguri (Wikki Tourists)
Forwards: Abdullahi Muhammed (Kwara United); Godday Otalyul-Imbus (Calabar Rovers); Imrana Muhammad (Mavlon FC); Qudus Olayiwola (P Sport FC)
