F’Eagles replace Egypt with I’Coast for friendly

The Flying Eagles have secured two friendly matches with Ivory Coast following the cancellation of their planned games against Egypt, Sunday NewsNGR reports.

The matches are scheduled to be held on Wednesday 26 and Friday 28 in Abidjan.

Flying Eagles team administrator, Aliyu Ibrahim, confirmed that the team would depart Abuja for Abidjan on Monday.

The seven-time African champions have been in camp for weeks under head coach Aliyu Zubairu, who had initially called up 30 players for the cancelled Egypt friendlies.

The matches against Egypt were called off after both teams were drawn in Group B of the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations alongside Morocco and South Africa.

Nigeria will head into the friendlies with recent positive memories against the Young Elephants, having defeated them 2-1 in a group stage encounter at the WAFU B U-20 Championship in Togo last October – a result that propelled the Cup holders to the semi-finals of the competition, which they eventually won.

Both teams share a rich history in youth football, dating back 42 years when Nigeria edged the Ivorians 4-3 in a memorable two-leg final of the Tessema Cup – then Africa’s U-20 trophy named after former CAF President Ydnekatchew Tessema.

Though both teams had already qualified for the FIFA World Youth Championship in Mexico, they battled for continental supremacy.

After a 2-2 draw in Abidjan, Dahiru Sadi’s long-range strike in the second half secured a 2-1 win for Nigeria in the return leg at the National Stadium, Lagos.

The 2025 U-20 AFCON will be hosted by Ivory Coast from April 26 to May 18, with all four semi-finalists qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, scheduled for September 27 to October 19.

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