Two Enyimba of Aba defenders, Valentine Ozornwafor and Ikouwem Udoh Utin are the only sure bets for regular starting shirts in the Nigerian youth national team, Flying Eagles, as the duo have cemented their positions on current form and recent pedigree.
Megasportsarena.com checks at the Flying Eagles’ camp in Poland showed that it was only for Utin and Ozornwafor that pundits could stick out their necks to see in the starting 11 for the team’s first mach of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Heading into Friday’s opening group game against Qatar, Utin, who is captain of the side, and his assistant, Ozornwafor were said to have tied down spots in the starting line-up even before the first day of training at their three-week preparation base in Bad Gögging, Germany.
Apart from the Enyimba duo, BK Rosenborg of Norway stopper, Igoh Ogbu and Kano Pillars’ right-back, Jamil Muhammad also looked good to start in the Flying Eagles’ back-four, while Bournemouth’s Nnamdi Ofoborh, Manchester City’s Tom Dele-Bashiru and Bologna’s Kingsley Michael appeared to be good bets for Paul Aigbogun not in midfield.
However, despite showing great form during build-up matches and training, Ofoborh’s spot looked in doubt when he was replaced in the team’s last session before Friday’s battle with the 1981 finalists.
In attack, the choice of three players to start against Qatar went down to Chinonso Emeka, Jerome Adams, Tijani Muhammed, Henry Offia and Success Makanjuola, as Aigbogun stressed the need for goals to rain.
