Egypt 2025: Zubairu promises a more composed Flying Eagles against South Africa

Posted : 14 May 2025

Nigeria's U-20 coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has assured that his squad will be even better when they take on South Africa’s Amajita in the first semi-final of the ongoing CAF U-20 Cup of Nations in the city of Ismailia on Thursday evening.

Pundits have praised the seven-time champions for dominating the tough quarter-final encounter against Senegal at the same venue on Monday, before sending the Cup holders out of the tournament with a 3-1 penalty shootout win.

“I believe we are going to have a great semi-final against the South Africans. I can guarantee that our approach will be much better, as the anxiety over whether or not we would earn a FIFA World Cup ticket is no longer there. It was a tense 120 minutes for us and the defending champions on Monday.

“We have secured the World Cup ticket and are quite happy. Against South Africa, we will play with great determination and composure, as we aim for the trophy—but without the tense atmosphere that surrounded the last match.

“Of course, we are aware of the long-standing rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa and what the game means. We will go in there ready for a real battle,” Head Coach Zubairu said.

The man who led El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri to victory in last year’s President Federation Cup believes his team has improved considerably since their first match against Tunisia on the first of May.

“We can all see that the team has improved and is actually getting better with each match. We will give our all against the South Africans.”

Apart from their seven titles, Nigeria have also finished as runners-up on two occasions (1999 and 2007), and as bronze medallists on two other occasions (2009 and 2013).

To set up a clash with the most decorated team in the competition’s history, the Amajita had to endure a 120-minute battle against the Democratic Republic of Congo, also at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium where the Flying Eagles ended Senegal’s title defense. They won their match 1-0 after extra time.

Nigeria secured four of their seven titles (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989) before South Africa—isolated from international sport for decades—was reintegrated into global competition following the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990.

Amajita’s first experience at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations came in 1997, when they finished as runners-up to hosts and winners Morocco.

Nigeria did not qualify for the finals that year. Four years later, in Ethiopia, both Nigeria and South Africa finished bottom of their group and exited at the group stage in what remains Nigeria’s worst performance in the history of the tournament.

In 2009, Nigeria defeated South Africa 2-1 to claim bronze, and four years later beat Mali by the same margin to again secure bronze medals in Algeria.

As hosts in 2011, the Amajita crashed out at the group stage after winning one match and losing two, while Nigeria stormed to their sixth title with a 3-2 victory over Cameroon in the final in Soweto.

In 2015, Nigeria claimed their seventh title in Senegal, while South Africa’s campaign ended at the group stage after losses to Ghana and Mali. Eight years ago, Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament, while South Africa finished in fourth place.

In 2019, in Niger Republic, Nigeria defeated South Africa 5-3 on penalties to win the bronze medal, after both teams had drawn goalless in their group-stage meeting.

In the second semi-final on Thursday, hosts and four-time winners Egypt—conquerors of the 1999 world champions Ghana—will take on Morocco in Cairo.

Egypt 2025: Zubairu promises a more composed Flying Eagles against South Africa

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics