Flying Eagles coach Ado Zubair has expressed satisfaction with achieving his goal of winning the WAFU B U-20 title after Nigeria’s 2-1 victory over Ghana in Wednesday’s final.
Beyond Limits Academy forward Kparobo Arierhi stole the show, scoring twice for Nigeria in the first half to secure the trophy for the team.
Although Ghana managed to pull a goal back in the second half, the Flying Eagles held firm to claim the victory.
Zubair, who previously led El-Kanemi Warriors to the President’s Federation Cup final, shared that despite the short time available for training camp, he is delighted the team overcame challenges to retain the WAFU B U-20 title.
Nigeria overcome late preparation to triumph
Upon his appointment as Flying Eagles coach, Zubair had less than a month to prepare the team for the tournament.
His selection raised some eyebrows due to the limited preparation time.
Despite an opening 1-0 loss to Burkina Faso in the group stage, Nigeria's Flying Eagles won all their remaining matches.
“We had just one month to prepare this team, but I think if you have adequate time to prepare, you can pick the right players that fit your coaching philosophy,” Zubair explained.
“We selected players who aligned with our style, and at first, some people felt they were too young.”
“But with the right mentality, you can see the results,” he added.
“The Ghanaian team is very good upfront, even though their defence has some deficiencies.”
“Our strength is in moving the ball quickly, especially when transitioning from midfield to attack. We’re happy we came here and accomplished our objectives.”
Both Nigeria and Ghana will represent the WAFU B region at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to take place in South Africa.
