U-20 AFCON: Aliyu Zubairu hints at tactical changes in Nigeria’s clash with Morocco

By Wale Mustapha

Head Coach of Nigeria’s U20 men’s national team, Aliyu Zubairu, has revealed plans to make tactical adjustments to his squad ahead of their crucial Group B encounter against Morocco in the ongoing U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Flying Eagles, seven-time champions of the competition, will face Morocco’s Atlas Lions on Sunday in their second group-stage match at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

Following a narrow 1-0 win over Tunisia in their tournament opener on Thursday, Zubairu acknowledged the need for improvement and hinted at possible changes to the starting XI to better suit the tactical demands of the upcoming clash.

“Possibly, there might be one or two changes in the lineup,” Zubairu said during a pre-match briefing.

“Definitely, there is going to be much improvement in our game, considering the fact that the last match was the first match of the tournament and the tension of the unforeseen will always be there.”

Zubairu praised his team’s overall performance in the opening match but emphasized the importance of refining their approach to handle Morocco’s more structured and physical style of play.

With both teams aiming to secure early qualification to the quarterfinals, Sunday’s fixture is expected to be a tightly contested encounter.