Former Israel-based goalkeeper, Akpan Udoh has declared that he and his colleagues in Nigeria’s youth national team, Flying Eagles will fight with all they have in order to win the African U-20 Cup of Nations.
Ahead of the team’s flight to Niamey, Niger Republic for the start of the competition, Sports247.ng reports that Udoh, who is currently clubless and registered as an unattached player in Paul Aigbogun’s squad, says the Nigerian side will not take any opponent for granted.
Udoh, who was Nigeria’s first choice in the Golden Eaglets’ winning team of the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, said he is happy being selected along with 20 other players to represent the country in Niger Republic.
The seven-time African champions are set to travel out of Abuja on Tuesday, to keep a date for their first match against Burundi at Stade General Seyni Kountche on Friday, February 2.
That will be followed against South Africa on February 5 and hosts Mena of Niger three days later, all of which Udoh admits are crunch ties for him and his colleagues, but believe they have what it takes to win all.
Udoh is already looking forward to the final on February 17, when he hopes to win gold and make up for a fourth place finish in same country at the African U-17 Cup of Nations, but qualified for Chile 2015.
He was also in the Flying Eagles squad that failed to qualify for the last U-20 AFCON in Zambia, but the 19-year old Udoh believes Niger 2019 will be a better hunting ground for the Nigerian youth squad.
Udoh assured: “We are good to go for this tournament because we have a very good team and I think everyone is important in this team.
“We don’t need to underrate any team. We would need to fight till the very end because our target is qualification for the World Cup.”
