Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has attributed Nigeria’s 1-0 semi-final defeat to South Africa at the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2025 to his team’s poor conversion rate in front of goal.
The highly anticipated clash saw the Flying Eagles dominate large portions of the game but ultimately fail to find the back of the net, allowing South Africa to capitalize on a rare opportunity and snatch victory.
“This is not a match we should have lost,” Zubairu said in a post-match interview. “We created good chances, but when you don’t convert, you risk losing — and that’s exactly what happened. We paid dearly for not being clinical.”
Nigeria, who had gone unbeaten until the semi-final stage, created multiple scoring opportunities but lacked the finishing touch.
The coach emphasized that although the team has already secured a World Cup ticket — a key objective heading into the tournament — they are determined to end the campaign with a strong performance.
The Flying Eagles will now face hosts Egypt in the third-place playoff on Sunday, aiming to finish the tournament on a high note.
“We must pick ourselves up quickly,” Aliyu added. “We’ve learned valuable lessons, and we still have one more game to play. It’s important we end this tournament with our heads held high.”
The showdown against Egypt offers the Flying Eagles a chance at redemption and a podium finish, capping off a campaign that has already secured a return to the FIFA U-20 World Cup stage.
