'Hard in the duels' - Norway coach expects physical battle against Flying Eagles in U20 WC opener

Norway U20 coach Bjorn Johansen has admitted his side will face a stern test when they lock horns with Nigeria's Flying Eagles in their Fifa U20 World Cup opener on Monday night at the Estadio Fiscal in Talca.

This is set to be a historic game as it marks the first meeting between the two countries at the Fifa U20 World Cup.

The Flying Eagles, two-time U20 World Cup finalists, are renowned for their power, pace and direct attacking style – qualities that Johansen believes could make them a dangerous opponent if left unchecked.

Speaking ahead of the clash, Johansen described the Flying Eagles as unpredictable and difficult to analyze, but stressed that his players are prepared for the intensity of the encounter.

"Nigeria is perhaps the team that has been the most difficult to analyze. They are very unpredictable," Johansen told the official website of the Norwegian Federation on Sunday.

"We know that it will be physical and that it will be hard in the duels and that they have a high tempo in their team.

"If we manage to control phases and play more on our terms, the chance of us coming out of the match well increases."

Johansen is confident in his team's preparations but admitted that his side must adapt quickly on the day to cope with Nigeria's unpredictability.

"We will almost have to wait until tomorrow to see how Nigeria will fare.

"We are prepared for different scenarios and will have enough preparedness to handle what is coming," he concluded. 

Johansen was a key member of Norway's squad at the 1989 Fifa U20 World Cup, starting all three of the Scandinavians' matches and scoring in a 4-2 group stage victory over Spain.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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