Finishing touch: Flying Eagles coach Zubairu vows to sharpen attack before Fifa U20 World Cup

Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has pledged to address the team's attacking deficiencies ahead of the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, following a mixed outing at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

Despite clinching the bronze medal after edging Egypt in the third-place match, Zubairu identified poor finishing as a major flaw in Nigeria's campaign.

The El-Kanemi Warriors tactician said the team's inability to convert chances was a clear weakness that must be resolved before the global tournament kicks off in September.

"We'll be inviting more players to bolster all departments. We must fix the issues we saw at the AFCON, especially our finishing," Zubairu said to allnigeriasoccer.com.

"Though we narrowly missed the AFCON title, qualifying for the World Cup is a huge achievement. Now, we must look ahead and do even better."

Zubairu, who replaced Ladan Bosso after the 2023 World Cup, also expressed his ambition to surpass the legacy of former coach Samson Siasia, who led the Flying Eagles to the final of the 2005 edition—Nigeria's best finish in the tournament's history.

Nigeria has been drawn in Group F of the 2025 U20 World Cup, alongside Colombia, Norway, and Saudi Arabia. 

The tournament is scheduled to run from September 27 to October 19 in Chile.

With just a few months to go, Zubairu and his coaching crew are expected to scout and invite more clinical strikers to build a competitive squad capable of challenging for Nigeria's first-ever FIFA U20 World Cup title.

Adeyemi Adewale

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