Flying Eagles head coach Abdu Maikaba has expressed confidence that Nigeria has the quality to successfully defend its WAFU B U-20 Championship title, insisting his side is fully prepared for Monday’s blockbuster opening clash against long-time rivals Ghana in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
READ ALSO: ‘Flying Eagles Will Go For Outright Victory Against Ghana On Monday,’ Coach Abdul Maikaba Assures
The encounter is a repeat of the 2024 final, where Nigeria defeated the Black Satellites 2-1 in Lomé to retain the regional title, and it also marks Maikaba’s first competitive match since taking charge of the seven-time African champions.
Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated fixture, Maikaba acknowledged the fierce rivalry between both countries but maintained that his players are ready for the challenge.
“Matches against Ghana are always competitive, but we are ready. I have 22 good players who are prepared to compete, and our objective is to start the tournament with a victory,” Maikaba said.
The former Plateau United coach said the team’s preparations in Abuja have gone according to plan, expressing satisfaction with the commitment shown by the players throughout the training camp.
“We’ve prepared very well. We have talented individual players, good attacking options and a squad capable of producing the results we want,” he added.
Nigeria heads into the tournament as defending champions and one of the favourites to qualify for the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, with the WAFU B Championship serving as the qualification pathway for the continental tournament. The Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group B alongside Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso, with only the strongest teams progressing to the knockout stage.
Victory over Ghana would hand Maikaba the perfect start to his tenure and strengthen Nigeria’s bid to retain the regional crown, while also extending the Flying Eagles’ recent dominance over their West African rivals in youth football.
The Flying Eagles face the Black Satellites at the Lycée Scientifique Stadium in Yamoussoukro, knowing that a positive result would provide early momentum in their quest to defend the WAFU B title and book a place at the next U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
