Flying Eagles captain Daniel Bameyi and teammate Odinaka Okoro have been named in the official Best XI of the group stage at the 2025 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Afrosport reports.
The Technical Study Group of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Sunday announced the best-performing 11 players after the conclusion of the group stages.
Bameyi was integral to Nigeria progressing to the quarterfinals, marshalling the Flying Eagles’ defence to two clean sheets in three games as well as scoring the vital equaliser in their 2-2 draw against Kenya in the final group game. He also earned the Man of the Match honours in their second game against Morocco.
Okoro, who started all three of Nigeria’s matches in the group stage, provided the assist in their opening 1-0 win against Tunisia. The left-back also finished the group stages without a caution.
Both Bameyi and Okoro are expected to be in action when the Flying Eagles face Senegal in the quarterfinals at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia on Monday.
Meanwhile, CAF’s Technical Study Group selected Zambia’s Levison Banda as the best goalkeeper in the group stages, while Ghana’s Dacosta Antwi and Sierra Leone’s Nathaniel Jalloh complete the defence.
South Africa’s Lazola Maku, Kenya’s Kevin Wangaya, Sierra Leone star Momoh Kamara, Morocco’s Othmane Maamma, and Zambia’s Joseph Sabobo all make up the five-man midfield.
DR Congo forward Samuel Ntanda-Lukisa leads the line as the lone striker after helping his team progress to the next round with his two goals, while Morocco’s Mohamed Ouahbi was named Best Coach, and Ghana’s Black Satellites received the Fair Play Award.
Full Group Stage Best XI at U20 AFCON CAF U20 AFCON
Goalkeeper: Levison Banda (Zambia)
Defenders: Nathaniel Jalloh (Sierra Leone), Odinaka Okoro and Daniel Bameyi (Nigeria), Dacosta Antwi (Ghana)
Midfielders: Kevin Wangaya (Kenya), Lazola Maku (South Africa), Momoh Kamara (Sierra Leone), Joseph Sabobo (Zambia), Othmane Maamma (Morocco)
Forwards: Samuel Ntanda-Lukisa (DR Congo)
