Flying Eagles stars Alfred Odinaka and Abdulmuiz Adeleke have been named in the Group Stage Best XI at the ongoing WAFU B U20 Championship after impressive performances for defending champions Nigeria.
The tournament’s Technical Study Group announced the Team of the Group Stage on Sunday following the completion of the opening round, recognising the standout players who excelled during the competition.
Odinaka secured his place in the four man defence after producing a string of composed and commanding displays at the back for the Flying Eagles. His consistency played a key role in Nigeria’s progress to the knockout stage despite a mixed group campaign.
Adeleke also earned a deserved place in the selection after emerging as one of the tournament’s most dangerous attackers. The prolific forward has scored four goals in just three appearances and currently ranks among the leading scorers in the competition.
The striker opened his campaign with a brace in Nigeria’s thrilling 4-2 victory over Ghana’s Black Satellites. He followed that performance with another two goals in the Flying Eagles’ convincing 3-0 win against Togo’s Sparrow Hawks to underline his importance in attack.
Burkina Faso and hosts Côte d’Ivoire dominated the Group Stage Best XI with three players each. Nigeria had two representatives, while Niger, Ghana and Togo each contributed one player to the team.
Although Nigeria finished second in Group B after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Burkina Faso on Sunday, the Flying Eagles still booked their place in the semi finals. They will now face hosts Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday as they continue their quest to successfully defend the WAFU B U20 Championship title.
