Flying Eagles manager Aliyu Zubairu was left frustrated as his team lost 1-0 to Norway in their Group D opener of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup on Monday in Talca, Chile.
The winning goal was not from error but a well-taken penalty kick by Norwegian skipper Rasmus Holten in the ninth minute, handing Bjorn Johansen’s side a narrow win.
Despite dominating possession, Nigeria failed to convert their chances. Ariehi Kparobo struck the post early in the first half, while Tana Maigana’s shot rattled the crossbar in the second.
“Give all the credit the boys deserve,” Zubairu told reporters at the final whistle. “We were creating opportunities from the start, but fortune was not on our side. If one of those opportunities had gone in, the outcome would have been different. That’s football we can just forget it and go on.”
Zubairu stressed the need to bounce back quickly as the Flying Eagles prepare to face Saudi Arabia on Thursday. “It’s not possession that win a match, it’s winning matches,” he said. “The goal now is to secure maximum points in the next match.”
