Nigeria coach Aliyu Zubairu exudes confidence ahead of Senegal clash

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles Head Coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has expressed optimism ahead of their crucial AFCON U20 quarterfinal clash with Senegal on Monday.

In a pre-match press conference on Sunday, Zubairu emphasized that securing a World Cup ticket is non-negotiable for the Nigerian team.

“We have really prepared for the match, considering how we got to this level. But all the same, we’ve reached a stage where we either get it right or lose the World Cup ticket.

“The boys already know that, and we’re working towards it. I believe tomorrow we will scale through to the semifinals,” he said.

Acknowledging Senegal as the defending champions and their longstanding rivalry with Nigeria, Zubairu remained confident in his team’s ability to overcome the challenge.

“Tomorrow won’t be an exception, so all those factors will play a role in tomorrow’s match, but we shall win,” he stated.

The coach insisted that the team is not under undue pressure but remains fully focused on the goal of qualifying for the World Cup.

“Any competitive football match comes with some pressure, but that pressure isn’t enough to negatively affect the team. Instead, it will help motivate us,” Zubairu noted.

Zubairu also reaffirmed that the team’s primary objective has always been to secure a World Cup spot.

“We started this journey from WAFU-B, and what we’ve been working for is to go to the World Cup,” he continued.

“Tomorrow’s match will be the semifinal, so we all know we’re going into it without pressure and ready for the battle. I don’t think there’s any pressure that will affect the team; it can only serve as psychological motivation.”

The Flying Eagles will face Senegal at 1 pm (Nigerian time) on Monday at the Ismaili Stadium in Egypt.

Coach Zubairu is determined to lead the team to secure the World Cup ticket, aiming to replicate his previous success in guiding the Flying Eagles to AFCON and WAFU-B championships.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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