CAF U20 AFCON: Flying Eagles coach ready for North Africa challenge

Nigeria U20 head coach Aliyu Zubairu, has disclosed that his side is ready for the North African challenge ahead of the TotalEneriges U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

“We will still want to play against a North African team before the AFCON because this will prepare us for the tournament,” Zubairu told CAFOnline.

The Flying Eagles have been drawn into what has been labeled the “Group of Death,” featuring formidable opponents Morocco and Egypt.

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.

The 2025 U20 AFCON is scheduled to take place from April 26 to May 18 in Côte d’Ivoire, with the four semi-finalists earning a ticket to the FIFA U20 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.

The Flying Eagles engaged in two test matches against U20 AFCON hosts Côte d’Ivoire, securing a 2-0 victory in the first match before suffering a 2-0 defeat in the rematch on Friday last week.

Zubairu explained that he deliberately experimented with a different tactical approach 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 said. “All the same, what we wanted to see, we have seen.”