'We are in a confident mood' - Aniagboso hopeful Flying Eagles will seal World Cup ticket

Chijoke Aniagboso was the player picked to attend the pre-match press conference ahead of Thursday evening's 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations quarterfinal clash against Uganda, a hint that he will be involved against the Hippos.

The Giant Brillars FC custodian started the tournament as the second choice goalkeeper behind Nathaniel Nwosu but has forced his way into the starting lineup, having gone the distance and kept clean sheets in the last two Group A matches against Egypt and Mozambique. 

Aniagboso admitted that the Flying Eagles are in confident mood heading into tomorrow's fixture against Uganda but stressed that they need to work harder to book a ticket to the World Cup. 

Ladan Bosso's team have performed well so far, winning all but one game since they landed in Egypt. 

"We will continue from where we stopped improving our game but we're happy to get to this stage," Aniagboso told reporters. 

"We need to work so much harder than how we started like my coach said losing this match is like not even qualifying at all so I think we're prepared with the coaches and by god grace we will go through.

"We are in a confident mood because we started this and we have to end it. There's no feeling or anything. Our job is to go to the field and up our game and book our ticket."

As first reported by allnigeriasoccer.com, Bosso will not have at his disposal midfielder Daniel Daga, who is still recovering from a knee injury he sustained in Nigeria's opener versus Senegal. 

The Flying Eagles have qualified for seven of the last eight FIFA U20 World Cups, and were runners-up in 2005.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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