FIFA U-20 World Cup: Flying Eagles to test readiness with two friendly matches

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will play two friendly matches this week at Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, in preparation for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina.

The matches come a month after the Flying Eagles secured their spot at the World Cup by finishing third at the 2023 Africa U-20 Championship.

The team has resumed training, and the friendlies are aimed at helping build chemistry and test their readiness for the upcoming tournament.

The two test games will be played at the FIFA Goal Project Pitch, Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, on Friday and Saturday. The Flying Eagles will face off against two academies in the friendlies, and this will be their first friendly since returning to camp.

Several invited foreign-based players – including Arsenal’s Joel Ideho – are expected to arrive at the team’s camp this week, and they will join the home-based players who have been training in preparation for the World Cup.

The Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group D at the World Cup, and they will face off against Brazil, Italy, and the Dominican Republic.

The team will be looking to build on their third-place finish at the Africa U-20 Championship and make a strong showing at the World Cup. Nigeria has never won the Mundial, picking up the silver medal at the 1989 and 2005 editions.