Following Nigeria’s defeat to Burkina Faso, Coach Zubairu emphasized that the Flying Eagles struggled due to the physical strength of their opponents.
In a post-match interview, the coach admitted that despite tactical adjustments, his team couldn’t match Burkina Faso’s physicality, leading to their 2-1 loss.
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“I think that we lost the match because we succumbed to the intimidation of the Burkinabes. When we watched their clips and analysed them together, we agreed that the only thing that can give them an advantage over us is their physical strength.
During the match, we changed our tactics, wanting to match them with strength, which we don’t have, so they used their physical strength to gain an advantage over us.”
However, Zubairu remains determined, stating the team’s focus now shifts to beating Ivory Coast to ensure progression in the competition.
He expressed the need to score at least two goals to secure their place at the next level.
“But all the same, we are going to forge ahead. We all know now that it’s either we beat Ivory Coast or nothing.
If we want to proceed to the next level, we just have to beat Ivory Coast, even if by more than a goal, so that we can be well secured to get to the next level.”
The Flying Eagles will have to rise to the occasion in their next match, with everything to play for against a formidable Ivorian side.
