The head coach of the Flying Eagles of Nigeria, Ladan Bosso has insisted that his team won’t be intimidated by the hosts of the ongoing Under-20 World Cup, Argentina.
At 10 PM Nigeria time on Wednesday, May 31, the Flying Eagles will face Argentina in the Under-20 World Cup round of 16.
Six-time champions and hosts Argentina will consider themselves the favorites when they face Nigeria at San Juan, but head coach Ladan Bosso tells his players that they won’t be scared by their opponents’ toughness and the anticipated home support for the Argentine side.
Coach Bosso said his Africa Cup of Nations bronze medalists will be ready to give as much as they receive from the hosts in Wednesday’s encounter.
OsunDaily News recalls that Argentina won all their three group games against Uzbekistan, Guatemala, and New Zealand while scoring 10 goals and only conceding once. They are currently among the favorites to win the 2023 Under-20 World Cup because of their rich history in the tournament and their current form.
The Flying Eagles had won their previous two games, including a commanding victory against early favorites Italy, but on Saturday at La Plata, they were beaten 2-0 by Brazil. They have no chance against the spirited home squad, according to some bookmakers.
But coach Ladan Bosso said, “This is the World Cup and it is wrong to underrate any team. We won two of our three matches and had the same number of points in our group as Brazil and Italy. We are no pushovers in this campaign.
“It is going to be an interesting game. We want the quarter-final ticket and the Argentines also want the quarter-final ticket. We will go in there and dig our feet into the ground.”
