Nigerian coach and UEFA-licensed tactician Yemi Olanrewaju has underscored the importance of Nigeria’s qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup despite the Flying Eagles’ semifinal exit at the ongoing CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, Sports247 reports.
Olanrewaju, a former head coach at Enyimba FC and Vandrezzer FC, and current Nigeria U-17 assistant coach, praised the team’s overall effort and resilience in reaching the last four of the continental competition.
While he admitted that winning the title would have been ideal, he maintained that securing a World Cup spot was the most crucial objective.
“The World Cup ticket was the real prize,” Olanrewaju stated. “Of course, we would have loved to win the tournament, but there are still positives to take from the campaign.”
He pointed to the team’s recurring issue in front of goal as a critical area for improvement, suggesting that greater attention be given to scouting and refining the attacking unit.
“We created chances, but we didn’t convert them. That’s where we paid the price. Better scouting and more clinical finishing should be the focus going forward,” he noted.
The Flying Eagles will now face Egypt in the third-place match on Sunday as they seek to wrap up the tournament on a high and shift full focus to preparations for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
