The head coach of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, Aliyu Zubairu, has credited his team’s determination and focus for their 1-0 victory over Tunisia in their opening match of the U-20 African qualifiers. The win marks a solid first step for Nigeria as they pursue a ticket to the U-20 World Cup.
Speaking after the match, Coach Zubairu dismissed the notion of any tactical “secret” behind the win, saying the result came down to the team’s mindset and commitment.
“There is no secret other than the fact that we really meant to get the World Cup ticket,” Zubairu said. “The boys realized we had to get the first step right, and that’s exactly what played out in today’s game.”
Looking ahead to their next match against Morocco, Zubairu was cautious about revealing strategic details, particularly given Morocco’s roster of European-based players.
“We will handle every match accordingly. The match against Tunisia is gone. Our match plan against Morocco is for our own consumption, but we are going to work towards it,” he stated.
Addressing the inclusion of players based in Europe, Zubairu highlighted that team cohesion and tactical understanding take precedence over individual pedigree.
“We spent almost a month in closed camping, and the European players didn’t have the opportunity to be in preparation as it is. They are doing well, but sometimes they need to understudy what the tactical description of the team looks like,” he explained.
“Three of them were on the pitch today, and two of them on the bench. We have five players from Europe, so I think that’s a reasonable number.”
The Flying Eagles will now turn their attention to the high-stakes match against Morocco, with fans hoping the momentum continues as Nigeria pushes for a place on the world stage.
