The Flying Eagles of Nigeria will kick-off their campaign in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup today, Sunday against the debutants Dominican Republic. The encounter is scheduled to be played at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza and will commence at 7 pm Nigerian time.
The expectations for the Flying Eagles are high, as they are overwhelming favourites to win against their opponents who will be playing their first-ever match in a FIFA organized tournament.
Coach Ladan Bosso has revamped his squad following their failure to win the U-20 AFCON title in Egypt earlier this year. Bosso has included a number of new players into the squad, including the AC Milan teen star, Victor Eletu.
Despite the failure in Egypt, the Flying Eagles had an impressive run in the qualifiers, winning four of their six matches and drawing the remaining two, to qualify with a game to spare. They will be hoping to build on that momentum, and record a win in their opening game of the tournament.
In their final friendly ahead of the World Cup, the two-time finalists held Colombia to a 3-3 draw. With that result, expectations are high for the Flying Eagles to perform well, and the Nigerian football fraternity hopes they can become the first African team to win the U-20 World Cup.
The other game in the group, which promises to be an exciting encounter, is between two heavyweights- Brazil and Italy. The Italians have a good record in the U-20 World Cup, having won the title twice, while Brazil has won five times and will be a tough opponent for the Italians.
The Flying Eagles will be hoping to kick-start their campaign with a resounding win, and get the group stages off on the right note.
Credit: dailypost.ng
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