2023 African Games: NFF boss sets must-win target for Flying Eagles against Senegal

Ibrahim Gusau, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has set a must-win target for the U20 national team, the Flying Eagles, in their upcoming clash against Senegal at the 2023 Africa Games.

The Flying Eagles have had a challenging start to the tournament, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Uganda before narrowly securing a lone-goal victory over South Sudan in their second match.

Gusau emphasized the importance of maintaining Nigeria’s esteemed reputation in youth football despite the team’s recent struggles, particularly their disappointing performance against Uganda in Accra.

Addressing the team, Gusau stressed the need for the Flying Eagles to demonstrate their capabilities and secure a victory against Senegal to secure a spot in the semifinals.

“Nigeria has a high pedigree in youth football across the globe, and that is a fact that should resonate with every player representing the green-white-green at this level. We did not perform well against Uganda, and I made my concerns clear to the boys,” Gusau stated, as quoted by the NFF.

“Against South Sudan, we should have been more decisive and secured the three points swiftly, but we faced challenges. I firmly believe that the players have the potential to achieve much more, and they must showcase their abilities against Senegal on Friday. It is a match we must win to progress to the semifinals.”

With three points from two matches, the Flying Eagles must secure a victory against Senegal to keep their hopes alive of advancing to the semifinal stage of the Africa Games.