The Flying Eagles’ Assistant Coach Nduka Ugbade said the team had taken a lot of lessons from last week’s two friendlies against their Moroccan counterparts.
A statement by the team’s Media Officer, Samm Audu in Abuja, said Ugbade made the comments after the team’s training session at the Package B of the Abuja National Stadium.
The Nigerian under-20 male football team drew 2-2 in the first match in Rabat and 1-1 in the second game in Casablanca.
Audu quoted the Flying Eagles’ assistant coach as saying however that the team has to improve on its overall performance.
“The matches showed we have to step up our game, because this is a much higher level than the under-17 level.
“So, we have to work on the boys psychologically in this aspect, as well as improve them on the pitch because of the demands of a high-performance level we have now found ourselves in,’’ he said.
The Nigeria under-20 side resumed training in Abuja on Monday morning with a full house which included five of the foreign-based call-ups.
These are skipper Musa Muhammed of Besiktas,Turkey, Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali of England’s Manchester City, Musa Yahaya of English side Tottenham Hotspur, and Chidera Eze of FC Porto, Portugal.
Several players were excused from Monday morning’s training on account of knocks they suffered in Morocco, but which the medical staff said was not serious.
These included Alhassan Ibrahim, who scored three goals in Morocco last week, Bernard Bulbwa and Taiwo Awoniyi.
