Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has promised Nigerian football fans an improved and more composed performance when his team faces South Africa in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Thursday in Ismailia.

The Nigerian U-20 team secured their place in the semi-finals after a dramatic victory over defending champions Senegal, winning 3-1 on penalties following a tense 120 minutes of play at the Suez Canal Stadium on Monday.

Their opponents, South Africa's Amajita, advanced to the semi-finals by defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo in extra time in their quarter-final encounter.

Speaking to the Nigeria Football Federation's official website, Zubairu expressed confidence in his team's ability to deliver an even better performance now that they have secured FIFA World Cup qualification.

"I believe we are going to have a great semi-final against the South Africans. I can guarantee that our approach will be much better, as the anxiety of whether or not we will earn a FIFA World Cup ticket is no longer there. It was a tense 120 minutes for ourselves and the defending champions on Monday," Zubairu stated.

The coach further emphasized that with the World Cup qualification pressure now behind them, his players will approach the South Africa match with greater determination and composure as they set their sights on the tournament trophy.

"We have the World Cup ticket now and are quite happy. Against South Africa, we will play with great determination and composure, as we aim for the trophy," he added.

The Flying Eagles' performance against Senegal earned them significant praise, and football analysts expect the team to build on this momentum as they face South Africa in what promises to be an exciting continental youth championship semi-final.

The winner of this encounter will advance to the final, where they will compete for the prestigious U-20 AFCON trophy against either Morocco or another semifinalist.