Nigeria’s U20 national team, the Flying Eagles, have resumed training in Abuja under Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu, as they prepare for the upcoming WAFU B U20 Boys Tournament in Ghana, scheduled from July 10 to 23.

Coach Zubairu emphasised the need to address the team’s attacking weaknesses and views the tournament as a vital opportunity to test players ahead of the FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile, set for September 27 to October 19.

Coach Zubairu, speaking after the team resumed training, emphasised the need to address some of the weaknesses identified in past competitions, particularly in front of goal.

“We’re taking proactive steps to fix the problems we had previously, especially with our finishing,” Zubairu said. “We know what went wrong, and we are working hard to fix those areas. The tournament in Ghana will allow us to look at more players, test different options, and sharpen our attack.”

The WAFU B tournament serves not only as a regional bragging rights contest but also as a valuable warm-up for the Flying Eagles, who will join South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt as Africa’s flag bearers at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile from 27 September to 19 October.

For Coach Zubairu, the WAFU B tournament is more than just another regional championship—it’s a testing ground.

“These games are important for us to build chemistry, give exposure to more players, and approach the World Cup with a stronger, more balanced team,” he added.

With preparations in full swing in Abuja, expectations are mounting that Nigeria’s U-20 side will embrace the challenge, sharpen their strategies, and show greater efficiency in front of goal.

The Flying Eagles will compete in Group A alongside Ghana and Benin Republic. Their opening match is against Ghana on July 10. (Daily Trust)