'It is a big match for both teams' - Flying Eagles coach Zubairu on winner-takes-all battle v Senegal

Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has reaffirmed Nigeria's determination to defeat Senegal in their crucial AFCON U20 quarterfinal clash on Monday, as both teams battle for a place in the semifinals and a ticket to the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.

Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage after a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Kenya in their final Group D match. 

Now, the focus shifts to the quarterfinal encounter against Senegal's Lion Cubs at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.

Meanwhile, Senegal secured their place in the quarterfinals by finishing second in their group, following a 2-0 victory over DR Congo.

Speaking after the team's first official training session in Ismailia on Saturday, Zubairu emphasized the importance of the match and the team's readiness to rise to the occasion.

"We know what to expect. It is a big match for both teams because the winner will be going to the World Cup," Zubairu said.

"It is like a final match, and if you throw in the matter of the rivalry between our two countries, it means we must be disciplined and determined for the entire duration of the game. We will do just that."

The clash rekindles a long-standing rivalry between the two nations at youth level. Senegal got the better of Nigeria with a 1-0 victory in the group stage of the 2023 AFCON U20 tournament, which they went on to win.

However, history also favours the Flying Eagles. In the 2015 edition, Nigeria opened their campaign with a 3-1 win over hosts Senegal and later defeated them again 1-0 in the final to claim their seventh continental crown.

With high stakes on the line, Zubairu will be hoping his side can replicate their past success against the Senegalese and book their place in both the tournament semifinals and 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Adeyemi Adewale

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