No pressure facing Tunisia, — Flying Eagles coach

By Olaolu Joseph

As Nigeria’s U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, gear up for their opening match in the 18th CAF TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, head coach Aliyu Zubairu has insisted his side is not under any pressure.

The Flying Eagles are set to face Tunisia in a Group B encounter on Thursday evening at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Egypt, Zubairu dismissed any psychological weight from previous meetings between the two sides, including Nigeria’s emphatic 4-0 win in their last U-20 AFCON third-place clash.

“There is no pressure from any angle. Instead, it should serve as motivation. We do not dwell on the past,” Zubairu said.

“That we beat them 4-0 in the third-place match shouldn’t put us under pressure — if anything, it should motivate us that we can beat them again,” he added.

He emphasized that both teams have changed personnel since their last meeting, saying, “These are two different teams, though representing the same countries. I don’t see it as pressure.”

Zubairu stressed that past streaks should inspire confidence rather than anxiety, as the Flying Eagles aim for a winning start to their campaign.