Head coach of the Nigeria U-20 team Emmanuel Amuneke will have at least three players who can change the game positively in his team’s favour when they take on Sudan on Sunday in the final round of the 2017 AYC qualifiers against Sudan.
The Flying Eagles who are set to depart for Sudan tomorrow have won all of their test game in the run up to the first leg clash against Sudan in Omdurman including a high profile 3-2 win over the Olympic bound U-23s of Nigeria.
Coach Emmanuel Amuneke can bank on the form of forward Orji Okonkwo who has since the Burundi game scored 7 goals test games, a testament to why Italian side Spezia all pulling all the stops to snap up the talented teen.
Also fit again forward Victor Osimhen proved his match readiness by scoring what ended up as the winner in their 2-1 win over City Strikers in a test game on his return after almost a week out, the Wolfsburg bound striker is arguably the best bet for the Nigeria U-20’s in their bid to secure victory over Sudan in their backyard.
Captain Kelechi Nwakali possibly heading to Arsenal after the second leg clash against Sudan has the ability to swing games in favour of the Amuneke lads as witnessed at the 2015 U-17 World Youth Championship where he was voted as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and in the U-20s recent game against Burundi where he scored a sublime freekick in the return leg tie in Nigeria.
The presence of so many game winnners in the team will no doubt gladden the heart of Nigerians who are desirous for the team to do well in the two legged tie and qualify for the defence of the title Nigeria won in Senegal in 2015.
*Ahmed Ishaya
