As Nigeria’s Flying Eagles return to camp in Abuja, Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu has made it clear that fine-tuning the team’s attack will be a major focus ahead of the WAFU B U-20 Boys Tournament set to kick off in Ghana this July.

The tournament, which will run from 10 to 23 July, offers Nigeria a key opportunity to build momentum and test new talent ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup later this year in Chile.

The Flying Eagles, two-time runners-up at the global event, will face host nation Ghana in their opening match on 10 July, followed by a second group game against the Benin Republic on 13 July.

Coach Zubairu, speaking after the team resumed training, emphasised the need to address some of the weaknesses identified in past competitions, particularly in front of goal.

“We’re taking proactive steps to fix the problems we had previously, especially with our finishing,” Zubairu said. “We know what went wrong, and we are working hard to fix those areas. The tournament in Ghana will allow us to look at more players, test different options, and sharpen our attack.”

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Group A, where Nigeria is placed, includes Ghana and Benin Republic, while Group B consists of Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, and Togo.

The WAFU B tournament serves not only as a regional bragging rights contest but also as a valuable warm-up for the Flying Eagles, who will join South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt as Africa’s flag bearers at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile from 27 September to 19 October.

For Coach Zubairu, the WAFU B tournament is more than just another regional championship—it’s a testing ground.

“These games are important for us to build chemistry, give exposure to more players, and approach the World Cup with a stronger, more balanced team,” he added.
As preparations continue in Abuja, expectations are high that Nigeria’s U-20 squad will rise to the challenge, refine their tactics, and deliver a more clinical performance in front of the goal.