By Victor Kanayo
Both Nigeria and Uganda will push for a World Cup spot when they face each other in the quarter-final of the ongoing U20 African Cup of Nations in Egypt on Thursday March 2, 2023.
The teams clash at the 22,000 -capacity Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia as from 7pm Egypt time (6pm Nigeria time) on match day.
Earlier same day, before the Flying Eagles take on Uganda in Ismailia, Group A winners Senegal will tango with Benin Republic at the Cairo International Stadium.
The Young Cheetahs finished in third place in Group C with only two points having drawn with Zambia and Tunisia, but unlucky to concede an own goal two minutes to the end of their encounter with group winners The Gambia on Monday.
The last quarter-final duel is between Congo and Tunisia, at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday evening.
The North Africans pulled their weight to defeat Zambia 2-1 on Monday, after having lost 0-1 to The Gambia and drawing 0-0 with Benin Republic earlier in Group C.
All four winners will advance to the semi-finals of the competition, but more importantly, qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Indonesia.
Speaking on their readiness ahead of the encounter, Nigerian Coach, Isah Ladan Bosso, believed he has the men to push Uganda’s Hippos off the way in their Africa U20 Cup of Nations quarter-final duel and reach the FIFA U20 World Cup finals scheduled for Indonesia, May 20 to June 11.
“Before we left our training camp in Morocco, the NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau told us clearly that the first objective should be getting a ticket to the FIFA World Cup. We are at that most important stage now and we cannot afford to falter.
“We are aware that Nigerians are looking up to us to deliver. While our mission remains bagging the World Cup ticket, we are also eyeing the trophy, which is still a number of matches away. For the moment, we have Uganda in our view and we are working hard to see that we control proceedings on Thursday,” he said.
