WAFU B: Flying Eagles coach Zubairu states Togo mission

Head coach of the Nigeria U-20 men’s team, Aliyu Zubairu, is unequivocal about the team’s mission at the 2024 WAFU B U20 tournament in Togo, which is to secure a ticket to the U-20 AFCON and restore Nigeria’s dominance of continental age-grade football, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The gaffer shared this with the press Wednesday in Ikenne, where the team has been intensifying preparation for the championship after a three-week selection process in Abuja.

Flying Eagles will battle Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire in a three-team Group B in their quest to defend the title they won in Niger Republic two years ago.

Despite their job being cut out, Zubairu remains confident his team can pull the chestnut out of fire for several reasons, some of which he elucidated.

He said, “The team is fully ready. All that is left is to play two or three friendly matches in Ikenne and travel to Lome next week and play two international friendlies before the commencement of the tournament.

“Before setting a target, we have to qualify first, and securing a ticket to the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations is our number one priority.

“We didn’t have the best of time in Abuja because everyone wanted his players to be there, but we finally selected 35 players and came down to Ikenne.

“We have full information about Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. We have watched tapes of some of their matches, which give us information on how to play them.

“Nigeria cannot continue to compromise its position as the number one in Africa in terms of age grade. We used to dominate the continent, but in recent times we are losing the grip, so our mission is to bring back the glory days.”

Hosts Togo will battle Ghana, Benin Republic, and Niger Republic in Group A of the competition that is scheduled for October 17 to 31 in Lome, the Togolese capital city.

The WAFU B U20 serves as the qualifying tournament for next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations, from where the top-placed four teams will qualify to fly Africa’s flag at next year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile.