Nigeria’s U-20 head coach, Aliyu Zubairu has expressed pride in his team’s achievement after they secured third place at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Flying Eagles’ journey to the semi-finals included a tense quarter-final victory over defending champions Senegal via a penalty shootout.
However, the dream of reaching a ninth U-20 AFCON final was dashed by a narrow defeat to South Africa in the semi-final.
“We felt we were the better team in the semi-final, so this bronze means a lot. It’s a statement of our consistency and potential heading into the World Cup,” Zubairu told CAF.
Nigeria defeated tournament hosts Egypt in the bronze medal game, again showing their ability to thrive under pressure.
With the win, Flying Eagles secured a podium finish, having already booked a World Cup spot.
That tournament will be hosted by Chile later in September, and Nigeria will join South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt as Africa’s representatives.
Speaking after the team’s return to Abuja on Tuesday, Zubairu stressed the importance of adequate preparation ahead of the World Cup.
He noted that the team would need at least three to four months of focused training to be ready.
“We will start early training for a minimum of three or four months, which will be sufficient to get the team ready,” he said.
“The tournament gave us the opportunity to identify the deficits of the team. We’ve spoken with the players, and starting early with our preparation will allow us to address those areas effectively.”
Aliyu Zubairu’s emphasis on early preparation signals the team’s commitment to building on their current form.
