Nigeria’s U20 team, the Flying Eagles yesterday arrived Nouakchott, capital of Mauritania ahead of today’s 2019 Africa U20 Cup of Nations final qualifying round, first leg battle against their Mauritanian counterparts.

A team of 18 players and 10 officials, flew out of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Thursday morning aboard an Air Ivoire flight to Dakar, Senegal before connecting an Air Mauritanie flight to Nouakchott.

Nigeria dismissed Guinea Bissau in the previous round to reach this final round of qualifying, which will determine which of Nigeria and Mauritania will join six other qualifiers and host Niger Republic for the 2019 Africa U20 Cup of Nations early next year.

The Confederation of African Football has appointed Messie Jessie Oved Nkounkou Mvoutou from Congo as a referee for Saturday’s encounter, to be assisted by compatriots Styven Danek Moutsassi Moyo (Assistant Referee 1), Beaudrel Ntsele Roul (Assistant Referee 2) and Sergei Flavien Soumou (Fourth Official).

Related News

The match commissioner is Mr. Abdellah Aboulkacem from Morocco.

Today’s encounter will start at 4pm Mauritanian time (5pm Nigeria). The return leg has been scheduled for the Agege Stadium, Lagos on Saturday, 21st July.

Nigeria has a record of seven titles in the Africa U20 Cup of Nations, having emerged champions in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011 and 2015.

The other fixtures will see Congo taking on Senegal, Burkina Faso against Gabon, Zambia up against Burundi, Cameroon against Mali, Ghana against Benin Republic and South Africa against Malawi.