Flying Eagles coach Aliyu Zubairu has pledged to address the team’s offensive shortcomings in advance of this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will take place in Chile from September 27 to October 19.
Zubairu led the team to a third-place finish at the 2025 U-20 AFCON in Egypt, where they scored just four goals from open play.
Their highest-scoring game was during a 2-2 draw against Kenya.
As they regroup for the World Cup in Chile, the coach, who has just quit his job with NPFL side El-Kanemi Warriors, admits that the Flying Eagles’ attack needs beefing up.
“I think for most of us that followed what really happened during AFCON, we know that we did not find things easy. Particularly, if you look at the area of goal scoring,” Zubairu said.
“We were having the best of position playing against any team at all. But when it comes to finishing, we really had some difficulties. But that has been taken care of and I believe the most important thing is the ticket to the World Cup which we got.
The Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group F of the 2025 U-20 World Cup, alongside Colombia, Norway, and Saudi Arabia.
