Nigeria’s national U-20 football team, the Flying Eagles, departed the country for Mauritania today (Tuesday) for the first leg of their final playoff for a place at next 2019 African Youth Championship in Niger Republic.
According to Completesportsnigeria.com only 18 players made the trip to Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Among those dropped are the team’s top striker, Jerome Akor, as well as Mike Zaruma, who missed out due to injury.
Also missing is former CHAN Eagles attacker, Peter Eneji, who is said to be out of the country on trials with an European club.
Mauritania defeated Morocco and Guinea in their previous two rounds, while the Flying Eagles, who failed to qualify for last year’s tournament in Zambia after they were beaten by Sudan eliminated Guinea Bissau in the previous round of the qualifiers.
The match is slated for Fiday July 13 with the return leg holding a week later in Nigeria. The winner, over two legs, will advance to the 2019 U-20 AFCON.