Flying Eagles head coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has expressed optimism that integrating foreign-based players will strengthen the squad as they prepare for the 2025 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations.
The Flying Eagles aim to secure a historic eighth title when the tournament kicks off in Cote d’Ivoire on April 26. This week, Zubairu’s side participated in two friendly matches against Cote d’Ivoire, achieving a win in the first and facing a defeat in the second.
Following a one-week break in Abuja, the Flying Eagles will resume training, welcoming additional players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and abroad to enhance the team’s competitiveness in their final preparations.
“When we regroup, some foreign-based players, as well as some players we scouted in Nigeria, will join to get a formidable team,” the coach told reporters in Ivory Coast.
Zubairu highlighted that four players from the WAFU squad, including 18-year-old Kparobo Arierhi, currently contracted to the Norwegian side Lillestrøm, will rejoin the team, indicating that preparations are progressing well.
In the latest friendly, Côte d’Ivoire defeated Nigeria’s Flying Eagles 2-0 at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, marking a successful response from the Junior Elephants, who had lost the previous encounter. In this match, Zubairu opted to field some of the team’s fringe players.
Côte d’Ivoire opened the scoring with a goal from Tape Kader in the 17th minute, and Isaac Cissé extended their lead shortly after halftime.
Both teams utilized these friendly games to fine-tune their strategies ahead of the upcoming tournament. The Flying Eagles will return to Nigeria on Saturday and take a scheduled one-week break before their next phase of training.
