Uwejamomere Eboboritse has trimmed Nigeria's Golden Eaglets group to 25 players for the WAFU B U17 Championship in Ouagadougou. The Nigeria Football Federation says the squad will leave on Tuesday morning, moving the discussion from a wide screening camp to the players who will carry the country's colours in Burkina Faso.
The final balance is three goalkeepers, seven defenders, eight midfielders and seven forwards. Mutiu Adenle, Abdulfatai Seriki and Richard Oguama are the goalkeepers, while Israel Irabor, Adewolu Lukman and Sochima Emeka are among the midfielders. Godswill Usoro, Daniel Lawrence and Chiedozie Igboenyobe feature in the forward line.
The NFF said Eboboritse has selected a team of 25 that he believes will "make Nigeria proud" at the championship. That is the right level of expectation for a youth side: the badge brings pressure, but the group still has to show a clear playing identity, recover quickly and manage tournament moments away from home.
Nigeria's first match is scheduled for 14 October, which gives the travelling group eight more days to work on tactical and technical conditioning, according to the federation. The immediate value of the trip is therefore time together: staff can settle partnerships, set the defensive distances and decide which attackers best fit the tournament plan before the opening whistle.
For supporters, the useful watch is not only the final score but how this shortened group is used. Which part of Eboboritse's 25-player squad should decide Nigeria's WAFU B campaign?
