Flying Eagles’ coach confident in squad ahead of Ghana clash

Head coach of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, Aliyu Zubairu, has expressed confidence in his team’s readiness ahead of their opening match against Ghana in the WAFU-B U-20 Tournament.

The Flying Eagles, winners of the last two editions held in Niger Republic and Togo, are set to face hosts Ghana today (Thursday) at the Prampram Centre in Accra. Kick-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Speaking in a pre-match interview, Zubairu praised the training conditions since their arrival in Ghana, noting that the facilities have greatly supported the team’s preparation.

“The preparation has been so good, considering the fact that we have gotten access to facilities since we came here, and it has really helped,” he said.

The coach explained that his key objective in the tournament is to evaluate new players and assess how they perform under pressure in a competitive environment.

“I think as a coach, the most important thing is for me to be able to evaluate the newcomers and see how they can manage and excel in situations like this,” he added.

Zubairu acknowledged the historic rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana but emphasized that the current focus is on team development and performance.

The WAFU-B tournament will also serve as a preparatory platform for Nigeria ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals scheduled to take place in Chile later this year.