Manu Garba Rings Changes To Flying Eagles Starting XI Against Tanzania

Flying Eagles coach Manu Garba plans several changes to his starting XI for Saturday’s 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier against Tanzania in Kaduna. Nigeria U20s beat their Tanzanian counterparts 2-0 in Dar es Salaam a fortnight ago.

Coach Manu is now most likely to start Abubakar Aliyu ahead of Izu Omego in the heart of the defence alongside
Wilfred Ndidi. Aliyu is a big, commanding central defender and he is expected to deal better with the long balls of the Tanzanians and their bigger strikers.

And the coach will also have to decide on whether to start FC Porto forward Chidera Eze ahead of his most effective striker Alhassan Ibrahim ‘Mu-azam’. Eze has picked form since he recovered from a hamstring injury which ensured he did not make the trip to Tanzania.

‘Mu-azam’ has struggled with hamstring strains days leading to the return match, but his defensive capabilities could well give him the nod ahead of Eze. Taiwo Awoniyi will again lead the attack after he scored in the first leg in Tanzania.

Meanwhile, visiting Ngorongoro Heroes of Tanzania suffered a huge setback going into the second leg in Kaduna as they will be without skipper and goalkeeper Aishi Manula.

Ngorongoro coach John Simkoko said Manula, who was forced out after the first half of the first leg due to injury, is on full international duty with Tanzania after he recovered from the injury.

Interestingly, Tanzania are fresh from a training stint in Qatar. Officials disclosed that as many as 6,000 security men will be on duty at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

“Everything is being done to ensure the safety of everyone involved in this match,” said a top police officer.