Nigeria’s youth national team, Flying Eagles’ coach, Aliyu Zubairu has promised that his players will give Kenya enough respect when both teams lock horns on Wednesday in their last group match at the ongoing Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Sports247 reports that Zubairu admitted after Sunday’s goalless draw with Morocco in Cairo that Group B still remains open, as Tunisia earlier beat the Kenyans 1-0, to move one point behind the top two sides; and they all head into the decisive day to determine the two automatic quarter-finalists.
Consequently, while looking ahead to Wednesday’s games, the Flying Eagles’ gaffer reiterated that Kenya must not be underrated, despite having already lost two matches, but he equally acknowledged that his side would have been safer had they beaten Morocco on Sunday.
Zubairu noted as much during the post-match media conference, as he said, “Our intention was to go for the three points at stake, but we couldn’t have it. We took one point without any goal. So, we have to face our last match with full concentration.”
He then spoke about his tactics for Sunday’s game and confessed that he had to settle for a different tactical approach after seeing the Moroccans dump Kenya 3-2 in their first match last Thursday, just after his team pipped Tunisia 1-0.
Zubairu, who is also the coach of El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), added, “We watched their match against Kenya and we realiaed that the strength of their game is from the two flanks.
“So, definitely, we had to make sure they did not operate from the flanks. We also made an addition of two or three players to make sure we put a check to their movement on the flanks.
“All the same, it was a tactical game from both teams. Though we did not have too many chances, I think our tactics worked; because we wanted to deny them pressure from both sides, and we succeeded in doing that.”
He then turned attention towards Wednesday’s last group fixture versus Kenya and promised that his team will not get carried away with the fact that the East Africans have lost two matches at the ongoing competition, which also serves as qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.
Zubairu recounted, “We have seen the Kenyans play. We watched them in their first match against Morocco, and we know what they can offer. The fact that they do not have any point does not remove anything from the strength of their team.
“So, we are going to approach the match with all sense of positivity to make sure we get the three points … but we are not underrating them. We know they are a good side.”
The Nigerian tactician concluded with a look at the possibility of the Flying Eagles capitualising on the lack of experience Kenya has at this level, as they are greenhorns compared to the seven-time African junior champions, who have been runners-up twice and won third place in this same competition as recently as two years ago, 2023.
“Kenya do not have a point after two matches, but that’s probably because they are at the U20 AFCON for the first time, if I’m not wrong. All the same, they are a team that we are going to play with a lot of respect, despite the fact that they don’t have any point in the group,” Zubairu affirmed.
