Where Are They Now? - Retrospect To 2015 U17 AFCON, Nigeria vs Zambia

Where Are They Now? - Retrospect To 2015 U17 AFCON, Nigeria vs Zambia

By Gbenga Gboyega

As the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria prepare to face off against the Chipolopolo of Zambia by 5 pm this evening, Bsnsports.com.ng takes a retrospective look at the last time these two young teams met on the continent, and where some of the class of 2015 are at the moment.

At the time (2015), both Nigeria and Zambia were paired in group A, alongside Guinea and host nation Niger, with the Golden Eaglets finishing the first round as Group leaders, after winning two of the three group stage games.

One of the wins came against today's opponent, the Chipolopolo (Zambia's U17 team), in a 3-1 victory, with Victor Osimhen bagging a brace and Kelechi Nwakali scoring the third, before Zambia's captain Patson Daka pulled a goal back in the second half.

Emmanuel Amunike led a 21-man squad to the competition, which produced a number of young and talented players that have gone on to make a name for themselves in their respective careers both at the senior team level and in club football.

Goalkeeper Amos Innocent Benjamin who's currently 24 years old, plays for Abuja FC in Nigeria, while defender John Lazarus, also 24 years, plays for Lobi Stars as a right back. Kano-born Usman Abass, 24 years, plays for Gombe United as a defender, while Saddam Awal is currently without club, after leaving Romanian club UTA Arad in 2019.

Chibueze Sunday Kanu, 24, currently plays in the fifth-tier of German football for TuS Osdorf as a midfielder, while Kingsley Dogo Michael plays as a midfielder for Austrian club SV Ried on loan from the Italian club Bologna.

Suleiman Abdullahi, 22, plays for Djakovo Croatia in Croatia; Orji Okonkwo, 25, plays for Bologna, while Kelechi Nwakali of famous memory plies his trade in the Segunda División for SD Ponferradina.

25-year-old Christian Charlie's whereabouts are unknown as far as online records are concerned, while namesake and former teammate Christian Osinachi Ebere plays in Uruguay for Plaza Colonia.

Samuel Chukwueze, 23, and Victor Osimhen, 24, are a few of the prominent names to have transcended from youth football to senior team for Nigeria internationally, with the former currently playing for Villarreal in Spain while the latter is bossing the Série À on behalf of table toppers Napoli SC.

These records set the tone for the current crop of players under the tutelage of Nduka Ugbade, to move through the ranks, by remaining steadfast, consistent, and teachable, to attain desired progression.

While speaking to the media ahead of today's tie, Nduka stressed on the pressure faced by the team, and the confidence in facing the task ahead.

"We are under pressure. We know that every team wants to beat Nigeria. I am not so much interested in the trophy as in the development of the players, and the beauty of the game.

"These are young players. You can never say after all your preparations what comes next because you are playing technically, you are also playing tactically and also have to consider the psychological discipline of the players.

"We want the players to be disciplined to go for 90 minutes to emerge victorious. To achieve this, we want to do everything humanly possible within the context of our strength and capacity to see that every team that comes against us is subdued."