Points of interest ahead of today’s Flying Eagles v. Uganda match

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles under Ladan Bosso take on Uganda this evening in what is a ‘winner-takes-all’ clash. The winner of the match gets one of the four African slots at the FIFA U-20 World Cup holding later this year in Indonesia, the country that was originally to host the cancelled 2021 edition.

Ahead of the clash, www.sportsvillagesquare.com provides some insights into the clash.

• Ismaila, the Northern city where Nigeria and Uganda will contest for the ticket to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia, is a good hunting ground for Nigerian teams. This is where Nigeria won the CAF Champions League for the first time 20 years ago.

• This is the first encounter of Nigeria and Uganda at U-20 level. Previous clashes of both have been at the national team and U-23 level.

• It is at Ismaila that Nigeria and Uganda first met at U-23 level 32 years ago at the 1991 All Africa Games. Nigeria won 8-1 to recorded their highest goal haul in history.

• Uganda has never beaten Nigeria in age-graded duel. Both teams have met three times at the U-23 level. Apart from the 8-1 loss to Nigeria on 23 Sept. 1991, Uganda also lost to Nigeria 2-3 at home on 19 February 2000 and 0-1 in Lagos on 20 February 2000.

• At national team level, Nigeria have always found Uganda a hard nut to crack. The Ugandans spoilt Vincent Enyeama’s fun when they inflicted a 1-0 defeat on Super Eagles at Uyo in a match organised to mark the 100^th international appearance of the former Nigeria goalkeeper. It was Uganda that stopped Nigeria at the semi-finals of the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, following a shock 2-1 defeat.

• Odion Ighalo made his international debut for Nigeria in a duel with Uganda on 25 March 2015 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. Nigeria lost the match 0-1.