Head coach of Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL side, Lobi Stars’ Mohammed Babaganaru has stated that the Nigerian U-20 players are at the moment looking very sharp physically but still need to improve tactically.
The comments of the back-to-back NPFL title winning coach with Kano Pillars was coming on the heels of his team test match against the national U-20 team in a friendly match, which they lost 2-0 to the Flying Eagles.
Babaganaru stressed that the Flying Eagles still have time and can truly be expected to do well at the 2023 U-20 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt on the premise of the team preparation thus far because there is still time on their side to put finishing touches on the team.
“It was a good match and an opportunity to prepare ahead of the league proper. We played better than the Flying Eagles. Our opponents were still young and physically fit,” Babaganaru told Brila FM.
“Physically, I am very satisfied but the coach still needs to do some work on the tactical aspect of the team but physically, they are very fit.”
The Flying Eagles defeated NPFL side, Lobi Stars 2-0 at FIFA Goal Project AstroTurf in Abuja to round off the first phase of the team’s preparations for the forthcoming Africa U20 Cup of Nations on a high note.
The Flying Eagles had since embarked on a two-week recess and are expected to resume camp in the first week of January for the final phase of preparations ahead of the Final Tournament of the Africa U20 in Egypt.
The TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2023 will be played between 19 February and 11 March 2023.
Meanwhile, the Draw Ceremony for the U20 AFCON is billed to take place in Cairo, Egypt on Friday, 23rd December.
The qualified countries are hosts Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Benin, Senegal, The Gambia, Uganda, South Sudan, Mozambique, Zambia, Central African Republic, and Congo.
-Nigeriafootball.ng