Nigeria Aims for Victory Against Tanzania in Africa U-20 Cup of Nations Qualifiers
Nigeria’s U-20 team is heading to Dar Es Salaam with a clear mission: victory. Despite the challenge of facing Tanzania in the second round of the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualifiers, coach Manu Garba is determined not to approach the match with any hesitation.
“We’re going to Dar Es Salaam to win,” Garba stated confidently in an interview with cafonline.com. “Why resort to all sorts of detours by saying, ‘Maybe we have to be careful’? We never use pretense, and we might as well say things directly.”
Garba, who led Nigeria to a World Cup victory in the United Arab Emirates, knows his players intimately. He has full trust in their abilities, particularly standout players like Alhassan Ibrahim, who has recently emerged as a prolific goalscorer, and Kelechi Iheanacho, the tournament’s best player and top scorer with six goals. Other reliable players include Suleiman Abdullahi, Musa Yahaya, and Ifeanyi Matthew, all of whom contribute to a cohesive and determined junior team.
While the Nigerian team has had its share of challenges—most recently suffering a 0-1 loss to Benin in preparations—Garba remains confident that his players will bring the same winning mentality that led them to their World Cup triumph. This continuity and experience are key to Nigeria’s ambitions as they seek to secure a strong position in the qualifiers.
