National Teams
“It’s all part of the building process” – Aliyu Zubairu downplays Flying Eagles’ win over Ivory Coast
By Dayo Awoniyi
The Nigeria U20 men’s national team secured a 2-0 victory over Ivory Coast in a friendly match in Abidjan on Wednesday, but head coach Aliyu Zubairu has played down the significance of the win.
Zubairu emphasized that the friendly games serve as a valuable opportunity for him to assess his squad and fine-tune preparations for the upcoming AFCON U-20 tournament in April.
“My reaction to today’s game wouldn’t be that important, as we are still in a building process,” Zubairu said to NFF TV.
“At this stage, it’s more about understanding where we stand, as we continue to develop.”
He further explained that the friendly match was a chance to evaluate the form of both the seasoned players who participated in the WAFU-B tournament and the newcomers hoping to secure a spot in the team.
“We came here for the friendly match to assess the level of the players—those who were part of the WAFU-B tournament and the new faces we are considering,” he added.
Looking ahead, Zubairu also revealed that the Flying Eagles are expecting more players to join the squad, particularly those who have recently made moves to European clubs.
“We are expecting a number of players, especially those who have moved abroad to pursue their careers and are still eligible,” he continued.
“We expect several of them to join us once we return to Nigeria,” he disclosed.
The Flying Eagles are set to face Ivory Coast again in another friendly on Friday before returning to Nigeria over the weekend.
