Egypt 2025: Flying Eagles coach, Zubair, targets maximum points against Tunisia

Posted : 30 April 2025

Ahead of the opening match in the pursuit of the eighth Africa U-20 title, Nigeria's Flying Eagles coach, Aliyu Zubair, has stated that his team will target the maximum points when they face the Junior Carthage Eagles of Tunisia at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, in the opening match of Group B.

Forty years ago, the boys from Carthage were the victims as the Flying Eagles won the second of their seven African titles in an era when the winner was decided over two legs.

Both teams had already qualified for the FIFA World Youth Championship (now the FIFA U-20 World Cup) finals in the then USSR. Nigeria secured a 1-1 draw with their hosts in Tunis and then won a close-fought return leg 2-1 at the National Stadium, Surulere.

Two years ago, the Carthage Eagles bowed to the Eagles from West Africa once again in the third-place match of the U-20 AFCON, also hosted by Egypt. It ended 4-0 against the North Africans.

Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu and his players understand that they must take it one match at a time as they aspire for glory, with Cup holders Senegal (who lead Group C), hosts Egypt (who lead Group A), and four-time winners Ghana (in Group C) also in the hunt for honors.

Four-time champions Egypt (winners in 1981, 1991, 2003, and 2013) have already secured three points from their opening match against South Africa on Sunday, while Zambia and Sierra Leone fought to a scoreless draw.

Ghana has their work cut out in Group C, where they must navigate survival against title-holders Senegal, a Central African Republic side that eliminated Cameroon, and the talented Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nigeria must beware of the host nation, even though the Flying Eagles defeated the Egyptians 1-0 in a group phase match in Cairo two years ago. The only Final matches Nigeria has lost since the competition transitioned from a home-and-away format to a tournament were against host nations – against Ghana in Accra in 1999 and against Congo in Brazzaville eight years later. In contrast, Nigeria defeated hosts Senegal in the Final in 2015.

Ghana were champions in 1993, 1999 (as hosts), 2009 (when they won in Rwanda), and 2021. Cameroon, who are not in Egypt, won their only title when Nigeria hosted the competition in 1995.

After Thursday’s clash with the Junior Carthage Eagles, the seven-time champions will face 1997 hosts and winners Morocco, also at the 30 June Stadium.

Zubairu is excited that his team is riding on a high following their 2-1 victory over host nation Egypt in a friendly match at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday – just 48 hours after the delegation landed in Cairo.

“That result has provided a good boost for us as we prepare to face the Tunisians – another North African opposition. You need a result like that when you’re preparing for a competition like this. It doesn’t mean we will rest on our laurels; it only serves to give us much-needed confidence and motivate us to face our challenges better.

“We will go for the maximum points against the Tunisians and then take it one step at a time as we move forward.”

Kparobo Arierhi, who scored three goals at the WAFU B U-20 Championship and netted the first goal against Egypt on Tuesday, Germany-based Precious Benjamin, and home players Clinton Jephta and Divine Oliseh are key players that Zubairu will be counting on to deliver against every opposition.

Tunisia did not originally qualify for these finals but managed to sneak through after the original hosts, Cote d'Ivoire, withdrew from hosting the tournament just weeks before the opening match.

All four semi-finalists in the tournament will qualify to represent Africa at this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup finals in Chile, from 27th September to 19th October.

Egypt 2025: Flying Eagles coach, Zubair, targets maximum points against Tunisia

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