Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has praised his team’s resilience and tactical discipline after Nigeria sealed a place in the Round of 16 of the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Colombia on Monday, Bold Sports reports.
Zubairu, who oversaw the tense encounter at the Estadio Fiscal de Talca, admitted the game was far from easy but expressed pride in how his players executed their plan against a physically strong Colombian side.
“It wasn’t easy but we stood our ground and were proactive. We knew they are physically strong and good on the ball so we tried to deny them passing lanes and that gave us a little edge. All we wanted was to qualify for the next round and we are not worried about who we have to face,” Zubairu said after the game.
Nigeria had to fight back after falling behind to Kener Gonzalez’s strike in the 51st minute, but captain Daniel Bameyi once again delivered under pressure, converting an 86th-minute penalty to earn the Flying Eagles a vital point.
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The result ensured Nigeria finished among the four best third-placed teams in the group stage, setting up a Round of 16 clash against Argentina, a rematch of their memorable 2-0 victory over the hosts in the 2023 edition.
With qualification to the knockout stage secured, Zubairu and his players will now focus on maintaining their momentum as they prepare for another test against the South American giants.
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