U20 WAFU Cup Nigeria 0 Niger 0 : Flying Eagles Fail To Breakdown Junior Ménas Defense

Flying Eagles of Nigeria started their WAFU U20 Cup campaign in Lome, Togo with a goalless draw against Junior Mena of Niger Republic.

The Flying Eagles played without fluidity at the Stade Municipal on Sunday.

Nigeria were hoping to start the tourney on a sound footing, but they could not capitalize on long spells of possession in the second stanza.

The Nigerien side on Friday shocked the Black Satellites of Ghana 1-0 in the opening match of Group B to send warning signals to seven–time African champions Nigeria.

Hosts Togo head Group A that also has Burkina Faso, Senegal and Mali, but the withdrawal of Benin Republic depleted Nigeria's Group B. The Flying Eagles will have to wait until Wednesday for their next match, which is a potentially –explosive encounter against arch rivals Ghana.

Anieqeme Okon pulled the strings in midfield while Wasiu Alalade was deployed as a striker.

However, Alalade couldn't reproduce the form that saw him become the show master for Nigeria at the U20 Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The intensity of the match grew in the second half, but several rash challenges forced the game to be continually stopped.

Nigeria saw a lot of the ball on the right side, but with Niger defending in numbers, their attacks came to naught.

The Flying Eagles will next turn its attention to the crunch game against Ghana.

Nigeria XI: Olawale Oremade, Ikouwem Udoh (C), Abubakar Ibrahim Babawo, Valentine Uzornwafor, Salaudeen Aliu, Victor Arikpo, Aniekeme Okon, Maxwell Effiom, Uche Unwuasonya  Wasiu Alalade, Solomon Thompson