Nigeria U20 head coach Aliyu Zubairu has promised an even better performance from his team when they face South Africa’s Amajita in the first semi-final of the CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday evening in Ismailia.
The Flying Eagles, seven-time champions of the competition, impressed pundits with their dominant display against defending champions Senegal in the quarter-final.
After a goalless draw over 120 minutes, they emerged victorious with a 3-1 win in the penalty shootout.
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Coach Zubairu, who led El-Kanemi Warriors to President Federation Cup glory last year, is confident ahead of the clash.
“I believe we’ll have a great semi-final against South Africa. Our mindset is better now, especially since we’ve secured a FIFA U20 World Cup ticket.
That took a lot of pressure off the boys. Monday’s game was tense, but now we can focus on playing our game with more composure and determination,” he said.
Zubairu acknowledged the long-standing rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa, emphasizing that his squad is prepared for a tough battle.
“We understand what this game means. There’s history between the two countries, and we’ll give it everything.”
Reflecting on the team’s progress, Zubairu noted significant improvement since their opening game against Tunisia on May 1st.
“The development in the squad is clear. We’re improving with every match, and we’ll bring that momentum into the semi-final.”
South Africa’s Amajita also endured a grueling quarter-final, needing extra time to edge the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0, setting up a high-stakes meeting with Nigeria at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium.
Historically, Nigeria has been the dominant force in the competition, claiming titles in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, and 2015. South Africa, whose U20 AFCON journey began in 1997 after rejoining international sports post-apartheid, has had a more modest record.
Past meetings between the two sides have often gone in Nigeria’s favor, including a penalty shootout win for bronze in 2019. In contrast, South Africa’s best showing was a runner-up finish in 1997.
In the second semi-final, tournament hosts and four-time champions Egypt will face Morocco in Cairo, following their quarter-final win over 1999 world champions Ghana.
