By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria’s head coach Aliyu Zubairu has attributed Nigeria’s 1–0 victory over Tunisia in their opening U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match to the players’ determination and focus, rather than tactical brilliance.
Speaking after Thursday’s win in Cairo, Zubairu praised his squad for their mental resolve, stressing that their ambition to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup served as the driving force behind their performance.
“There’s no secret to our victory other than our strong desire to secure a World Cup ticket,” Zubairu told reporters.
“The boys knew the importance of starting well, and that motivation carried us through.”
Midfielder Auwal Ibrahim scored the only goal of the match in the 38th minute, giving Nigeria a crucial three points in Group B.
The Flying Eagles will now turn their attention to their second group game against Morocco on Sunday, as they look to build momentum and edge closer to World Cup qualification.
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.
