Former Flying Eagles captain Ikouwem Udoh has praised the Nigerian U-20 team’s overall performance in the recent AFCON U20 tournament but cautioned that their inability to consistently convert scoring opportunities could prove costly on the global stage.
Speaking as the prepare for their first game at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025, Udoh described the outing as “not bad,” especially since the primary aim of securing a World Cup spot had been achieved.
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Udoh underlined that the team’s play had many positives: resilience, strong work ethic, creativity in attack, and good organization. However, he emphasized that goal-scoring remains a glaring issue.
“We created chances but didn’t convert enough — that could hurt us on the global stage,” he said, urging coaches and handlers to focus more on finishing and the psychology of strikers.
He called on the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to ensure the team gets full support — financially, technically, and in logistics — in preparation for the upcoming FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.
According to Udoh, rest is important now, but the real work must start immediately: refining finishing, sharpening attacking play, and boosting confidence in front of goal.
Without improvements in scoring, Udoh warns, even talented teams become vulnerable in tougher matches where chances are fewer and margins razor thin.
But with work, he believes this U-20 group can become “hard to beat.” The call is now with the NFF, the team’s technical staff, and the players themselves to turn this weakness into strength before facing the world.
