17th April, 2011
The Nigeria U-20 men’s team have settled well into their Garden Court Hotel in Johannesburg after arriving aboard an Arik Air flight from Lagos at the weekend.
The hotel is not far from the Oliver Tambo International Airport.
Organisers had earlier announced that the eight participating teams would stay at the Southern Sun Grayston, but the plan has changed and that hotel is now for officials of CAF and the Confederation’s guests.
Champions of Africa five times previously, the Class of 2011 know they have a mountain to surmount in a Group B that includes world champions Ghana, Cameroon and The Gambia – all with remarkable pedigree in youth football.
The Nigeria Football Federation had sent its Assistant General Secretary (Competitions), Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, ahead on Wednesday to take possession of the team’s accommodation and transport and generally ensure arrangements on ground are flawless for the 1989 and 2005 world vice champions.
“Everything is okay here and I can assure the team is comfortable. We have been holding a number of meetings since Friday afternoon, all to ensure that no detail is left unattended to. I can also confirm that the team is in very high spirits,†said Sanusi on phone from Johannesburg, shortly after the conclusion of the Team welcome meeting.
NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, will join the team today ahead of its first match of the campaign against reigning African and world champions Ghana at the Rand Stadium tomorrow’s afternoon.
The Flying Eagles will also play against Cameroon on Thursday and against The Gambia on Sunday to round up their campaign in Group B.
All four semi finalists of the two-week, eight-team finals will represent Africa at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia later in the year.