Nigeria U-20 skipper Lukman Haruna believes that with the help of God, Flying Eagles will qualify for this year’s Fifa Youth World Cup due in Egypt in September. The Flying Eagles are favourites to win a sixth continental youth title but the skilled midfielder thinks that for his team needs God’s help to reach the semi-final stage of the ongoing African Youth Championship, Rwanda 2009. “In a competition of this magnitude you need God on your side but I am confident we will qualify not only for the AYC semifinal but also the World Youth Championship,” he acknowledged. And the midfielder thinks that Egypt and Ivory Coast and not South Africa are his team’s main rivals as far qualifying to the last four from this group is concerned. Favourites Nigeria made a winning start at the African Youth Championship in Rwanda on Monday. Two goals from Kingsley Udoh and Yakubu Alfa helped the Flying Eagles to a 2-0 win over Egypt in group B. Nigeria had won the old competition on four occasions; 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989 before the current format was introduced in 1991. Even as hosts in 1995, Nigeria could not lift the new AYC trophy until in 2005 in Benin Republic when the team handled by Samson Siasia humbled Egypt 2-0 in the final and also went on to win silver at the world level. The Flying Eagles under Godwin Uwua were beaten 1-0 by hosts Congo Brazzaville in the final two years ago. Ends
