Flying Eagles Coach Seeks North African Test
Nigeria U-20 head coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has expressed the need for a friendly match against a North African opponent as crucial preparation for the upcoming U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
The Flying Eagles have been drawn into what has been labeled the “Group of Death,” featuring formidable opponents Morocco and Egypt. South Africa are the other team in Group B.
The team had initially planned a friendly against Egypt last month, but the fixture was called off after both sides were drawn into the same group for the upcoming tournament.
“We will still want to play against a North African team before the AFCON because this will prepare us for the tournament,” Zubairu stated.
The Flying Eagles recently engaged in two friendly matches against U-20 AFCON hosts Côte d’Ivoire, securing a 2-0 victory in the first match before suffering a 2-0 defeat in the rematch.
Zubairu explained that he deliberately experimented with a different tactics and rotated his squad in the second fixture.
“We played a second tactic and we lost the game even though we also made some changes in the team,” he added. “All the same, what we wanted to see, we have seen.”
The 2025 U-20 AFCON is scheduled to take place from April 26th – 18th May in Côte d’Ivoire, with the four semi-finalists earning a ticket to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Nigeria will be aiming to secure their place on the global stage while contending with some of Africa’s toughest teams in the group stage.
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