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The seven-time African champions will kick off their campaign against Tunisia at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo on Thursday.
Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has clearly stated that his team's paramount objective at the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Egypt is to secure qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
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The U-20 AFCON in Egypt holds big weight, as the four semi-finalists will automatically earn a spot at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by Chile later this year.
Nigeria's Flying Eagles, who last tasted continental glory at this level in 2015, are considered one of the favorites to lift the trophy in this year's edition of the biennial youth championship.
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16:51 - 29.04.2025
Nigeria vs Tunisia: Flying Eagles coach Aliyu Zubairu targets 3 points in U20 AFCON opener
See what Flying Eagles of Nigeria head coach Aliyu Zubairu has to say ahead of their U-20 AFCON opener against Tunisia.
However, Coach Zubairu emphasized that their initial focus is firmly set on securing World Cup qualification.
“We wouldn’t want to put too much pressure on the boys, that they must win the trophy. The first target now is to get the ticket to the World Cup,” Zubairu told NFF TV.
He continued, “When we get to the semi-final stage, we will sit them down again, and talk about winning the title, but our first target is the World Cup ticket.”
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08:54 - 29.04.2025
Nigeria vs Tunisia: Time and where to watch Flying Eagles AFCON U-20 opener
Time and where to watch Flying Eagles of Nigeria AFCON U-20 opener against Tunisia.
The seven-time African champions will kick off their campaign against Tunisia at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo on Thursday. Zubairu expressed his confidence in his players' readiness for the task ahead.
“We are very much prepared, if you look at the journey, we started preparation from Abuja to Kastina, then Kastina back to Abuja. Now, we are in Egypt waiting for the first match which is against Tunisia, the boys are ready,” he added.
Historically, the Flying Eagles have a favorable record against Tunisia at this level, having never lost to the North Africans, with two wins and one draw to their name.
Notably, Nigeria triumphed over Tunisia 4-0 in the third-place match of the U-20 AFCON two years ago, also held in Egypt.
Zubairu believes this past victory serves as a motivating factor for his current squad.
“There is no pressure from any angle. Our win over Tunisia two years ago is a big motivation, even though you don’t dwell too much in the past,” Zubairu stated.
“We beat them 4-0 in the third-place match then, but it’s going to be a different scenario now. They are two different teams even though they are representing the same country . I don’t see it a pressure, even though history can always play a role in motivating a team. So, it’s going to serve as a motivating factor for the team," he added.
With their sights firmly set on a World Cup berth, the Flying Eagles will be aiming for a positive start to their U-20 AFCON campaign against Tunisia.
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