Nigeria’s U-20 men’s national team, the Flying Eagles, have wrapped up a 12-day training camp in Chile with optimism and renewed confidence ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Under the guidance of Head Coach Aliyu Zubair, the team played two friendly matches, holding Chile to a 1-1 draw and defeating Australia 3-1. The outings, according to the coach, were more about refining performance than chasing results.
Reflecting on their Africa U-20 Cup of Nations campaign in Egypt, where the team struggled in attack, Zubair praised the progress made during the camp. He noted that the friendlies offered the chance to test new attacking approaches, and the improvements were clear. “What mattered was identifying our weaknesses and fixing them. By the time we faced Australia, the adjustments we made paid off,” he said.
The coach highlighted that different players found the net during the matches, a sharp contrast to their AFCON struggles where goals were scarce. He described the attack as “sharper” and more efficient in exploiting spaces in the final third, adding that the momentum will be built upon as the World Cup kicks off.
With their opening game against Norway set for September 29, the Flying Eagles will also face Saudi Arabia on October 2 and Colombia on October 5 in Group F. Zubair believes the preparation in Chile has provided not only tactical improvements but also boosted the team’s confidence heading into the tournament.
