AYC: Iheanacho, others test flight in Porto Novo

FlyingEagles coach Manu Garba will test the intention of his team to win the African Youth Championship with a match against their Benin Republic counterparts in Porto Novo on Sunday.Garba who led the national under-17 team to a triumphant run at the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirate has called most of the players in that winning squad, they include Kelechi Iheanacho, skipper Musa Muhammed, Chidiebere Nwakali, Musa Yahaya, Taiwo Awoniyi, Abdullahi Alfa and Zaharadeen Bello. Others on the squad are Alhassan Ibrahim aka Mu-azam, Wilfred Ndidi, Ifeanyi Matthew and goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo.Kelechi IheanachoThe match according to the Flying Eagles coach, was to prepare his wards for the AYC qualifiers against Tanzania on the weekend of May 9-11.Both team teams had clashed in the AYC 2013 qualifiers with Nigeria winning the first in Tanzania, with a brace from big striker Alhaji Gero. The Flying Eagles under coach John Obuh and also won the return in Ilorin 2-0 with goals from Abduljaleel Ajagun and Gero.The overall winners of this match-up will face the winners of another second round clash between Swaziland and Lesotho against Angola, who were also drawn bye to the second round.Meanwhile Tanzania under-20 coach, John Simkoko acknowledged that it will be an uphill task for his wards to beat Nigeria and qualify for the finals billed for March 8-22 2015 in Senegal.“It is going to be great test for us. We know Nigeria have a strong team, and they also have a strong tradition in the tournament. But we can rise to the occasion.“We have to work very hard in training and be focused on beating Nigeria to reach the final in Senegal,” said the coach.Goalkeepers: Joshua Enaholo, Adamu Abubakar, Abdulazeez AbubakarDefenders: Musa Muhammed, Mustapha Abdullahi, Ifeanyi Nweke, Wilfred Ndidi, Izu Omego, Zaharadeen BelloMidfielders: Chidiebere Nwakali, Musa Yahaya, Kelechi Iheanacho, Abdullahi Alfa, Akinjide Idowu, Wasiu Jimoh, Ifeanyi Matthew, Ifeanyi IfeanyiStrikers: Alhassan Ibrahim ‘Mu-azam’, Taiwo Awoniyi, Sulaiman Abdullahi