Zubairu proud of Nigeria's bronze as Egypt boss Nabih eyes World Cup rebuild
Nigeria's head coach Aliyu Zubairu expressed his pride in his team after they secured third place for a record-extending fifth time in the history of the TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations.
This comes after the Flying Eagles' 4-1 penalty shootout win over hosts Egypt in the third-place play-off at the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
'The match was tight. It came down to nerve and execution,' Zubairu told reporters.
'We knew Egypt would be strong at home, but my boys stayed calm. We showed maturity in the shootout.'
Nigeria's run to the semi-finals had included a penalty shootout win over holders Senegal in the quarters, but their hopes of a ninth final were dashed by South Africa in the semi-final.
'We felt we were the better team in the semi-final, so this bronze means a lot. It's a statement of our consistency and potential heading into the World Cup,' Zubairu said.
Both Egypt and Nigeria now turn their attention to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year, where they will represent Africa alongside Morocco and South Africa.
Meanwhile, Egypt U-20 head coach Osama Nabih has issued a public apology to fans following his side's 4-1 penalty shootout loss to Nigeria in the third-place play-off at the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2025.
The hosts were left heartbroken at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo after a 1-1 draw in regulation time ended in disappointment from the spot, denying the Pharaohs a place on the podium.
'We reached one of our key objectives by qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile,' Nabih said in the post-match press conference. 'But I must apologise to the Egyptian fans for not securing a medal in front of our home crowd.'
Egypt had taken the lead early through Osama Omar but were pegged back in the second half by Nigeria's Bidemi Amole. The match went to penalties, where the Pharaohs missed three of their four attempts, sealing their fate.
Nabih highlighted the challenges his team faced, including key absentees. 'We were without nine influential players due to injury and fatigue. These boys gave everything, and I thank them for their courage in very difficult conditions,' he added.
The 48-year-old coach, who took over the side just weeks before the tournament, praised the backing from the Egyptian Football Association and national team coach Hossam Hassan, calling their support 'instrumental to our progress.'
Egypt's campaign saw them reach the semi-finals with a dramatic penalty shootout win over Ghana, before a narrow 1-0 defeat to Morocco ended their title dreams. It was their first appearance in the last four since 2011.
Despite the bronze medal setback, Nabih insisted preparations for the U-20 World Cup must begin immediately. 'We have just three months before Chile. This experience will harden us. We must focus and regroup,' he said.
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