What Flying Eagles coach Aliyu Zubairu had to say after loss to U20 Afcon hosts Ivory Coast

Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu expressed mixed emotions following his side's 2-0 defeat to 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations hosts on Friday evening. 

The loss, in the second pre-U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) friendly, served as another opportunity for the team to assess both individual performances and tactical approaches.

In an interview with Flying Eagles Media Officer, Sharif Abdallah made available to allnigeriasoccer.com, Zubairu said: "We have prepared; we really want to assess most of the players, one, number two, our tactical approach to matches that we are trying to put in place, that we are likely to go and adapt during the AFCON." 

He further explained that the team had implemented a tactical plan for the match, which had initially succeeded in their first friendly but was less effective when faced with a more robust opponent.

"We used Plan A, and it worked. We decided that, okay, should the opponent come with superior tactics and neutralize our own, let's go for Plan B. And exactly that is what we tried this evening," Zubairu added. 

Despite the loss, he emphasized that the experiment provided valuable insights: "Eventually, we lost the match though some changes—one or two players were given an opportunity to play—but all the same, what we wanted to see, we’ve seen."

Looking ahead to the U20 AFCON, the coach reaffirmed that this friendly loss was part of the broader preparation process. 

"This is just the second phase of our preparation," he noted. "As soon as we get out to Nigeria, we'll be going on a break for some days. By the time we come back, when we reconvene, then some foreign players will start coming, and some players that we’ve even cited in the league in Nigeria will join us."

Zubairu made it clear that changes are expected in the squad ahead of the tournament, stating confidently, "Definitely, definitely, definitely. Some new players must surely come in. It’s just a matter of time. When the time reaches, we’ll definitely fortify the team with some players."

The coach also highlighted the return of some key players currently abroad, citing the example of four players, including those in Europe.

 "We have four of our players that were not with us, the likes of Kparobo and the rest. They are now abroad, and they are part of the team. They will definitely be coming back, with some others still to join."

With the Flying Eagles’ preparation still in progress, Zubairu remains confident in his team's trajectory as they build towards the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Despite Friday's setback, he assured that the lessons learned will only help refine the squad for the upcoming challenges.

Wale Adejumo

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