African champions, Flying Eagles, return

Players and officials of the U-20 National Team returned to the country on Monday, after a successful campaign at the 19th African Youth Championship in Senegal.

The delegation, which was led by NFF 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, flew into Lagos early in the morning aboard an Arik Airline flight from Dakar, and then connected another Arik Air flight to Abuja.

Manu Garba’s wards pipped host nation Senegal 1-0 in Sunday’s final, and will spend a night in Abuja before being decamped to await a planned presidential reception in a few weeks.

Victory on Sunday means the Flying Eagles, who also emerged champions of Africa in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005 and 2011, will play in Group E at this summer’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, alongside Brazil, North Korea and Hungary.