Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has assured fans that Nigeria’s U20 squad will showcase an improved performance when they face South Africa in the first semi-final of the ongoing CAF U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ismailia on Thursday.
Zubairu’s comments come after Nigeria ousted defending champions Senegal in a tense quarter-final clash at the same venue, winning 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in extra time.
“I believe we are going to have a great semi-final against the South Africans. I can guarantee that our approach will be much better, as the anxiety of whether or not we would earn a FIFA World Cup ticket is no longer there,” Zubairu said on Tuesday.
“It was a tense 120 minutes for both teams on Monday. Now, with the World Cup ticket secured, we will play with greater determination and composure. The pressure has eased, but our hunger for the trophy remains strong.”
Zubairu, who led El-Kanemi Warriors to lift last year’s President’s Federation Cup, believes the Flying Eagles have improved significantly since their opening game against Tunisia on May 1.
“We can all see that the team has improved and is actually getting better with each match. We will go all out against the South Africans,” he added.
Nigeria, the most successful nation in the history of the competition, boasts seven U20 AFCON titles (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, and 2015), with two silver and two bronze medal finishes.
To reach the last four, South Africa’s Amajita battled to a hard-fought 1-0 extra-time win over DR Congo.
In the other semi-final on Thursday, hosts Egypt, four-time winners and conquerors of 1999 world champions Ghana, will face Morocco in Cairo.
