Nigeria coach eyes North African opponent ahead of TotalEnergies CAF U20 AFCON

Nigeria head coach Aliyu Zubairu, has expressed his desire for a preparatory match against a North African team ahead of the TotalEneriges U20 Africa Cup of Nations (U20 AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

The Flying Eagles have been drawn into what has been labeled the "Group of Death," featuring formidable opponents Morocco and Egypt.

The team had initially planned a friendly against Egypt last month, but the fixture was called off after both sides were drawn into the same group for the upcoming tournament.

"We will still want to play against a North African team before the AFCON because this will prepare us for the tournament," Zubairu stated.

Mixed Results in Côte d’Ivoire Friendlies

The Flying Eagles this week engaged in two test matches against U20 AFCON hosts Côte d’Ivoire, securing a 2-0 victory in the first match before suffering a 2-0 defeat in the rematch on Friday

Zubairu explained that he deliberately experimented with a different tactical approach and rotated his squad in the second fixture.

"We played a second tactic and we lost the game even though we also made some changes in the team," he said. "All the same, what we wanted to see, we have seen."

Path to the FIFA U20 World Cup

The 2025 U20 AFCON is scheduled to take place from April 26 to May 18 in Côte d’Ivoire, with the four semi-finalists earning a ticket to the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.

Nigeria will be aiming to secure their place on the global stage while contending with some of Africa’s toughest teams in the group stage.