AFCON Post-Mortem: Zubairu Reveals Reasons Flying Eagles Failed To Lift Trophy

AFCON Post-Mortem: Zubairu Reveals Reasons Flying Eagles Failed To Lift Trophy 

By Niyi Busari 

Flying Eagles head coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has attributed Nigeria’s failure to win the recently concluded U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt to the team’s persistent lack of clinical finishing in front of goal, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Nigeria were edged out 1-0 by South Africa in the semi-final but bounced back to secure the bronze medal after defeating hosts Egypt in the third-place match. Despite the podium finish and securing qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Zubairu acknowledged that the team fell short of its ultimate objective.

“One of our key challenges throughout the tournament has been our lack of clinical finishing,” Zubairu said after the match. “From our very first game, we created chances but couldn’t consistently convert them. Our transitions from defence to midfield were effective, but we lacked sharpness in the final third.”

The El-Kanemi Warriors boss emphasized that while the bronze medal was not the team’s original target, it still represented a respectable achievement under the circumstances.

“We didn’t come here aiming for third place, but half a loaf is better than none,” he remarked. “Even though we had already qualified for the World Cup, it was important to finish the tournament strongly.”

Zubairu also addressed the team’s recurring issue of conceding early goals before staging comebacks—a pattern that ultimately proved costly against South Africa.

“No coach would design a strategy to concede first. That would be playing with fire,” he said. “In our case, it was simply due to lapses in concentration. But I commend the players for their fighting spirit and mental resilience; they always found a way to respond.”

Meanwhile, Flying Eagles captain Daniel Bameyi received individual recognition for his standout performances throughout the tournament, earning a place in the CAF Team of the Tournament.

With the U-20 AFCON campaign now behind them, the Flying Eagles will shift focus to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, scheduled to take place from September 27 to October 19.