Flying Eagles winger Sani Sulaiman has revealed the approach Nigeria will adopt when they face Argentina in the Round of 16 of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria sealed their passage to the knockout stage after a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Colombia in Talca on Monday morning.
Captain Daniel Bameyi’s late penalty rescued a vital point for the Flying Eagles, who advanced as one of the four best third-placed teams in the competition.
Sulaiman On Flying Eagles Draw
Reflecting on the draw against Colombia, Sulaiman revealed that the team’s determination and teamwork were key to earning qualification and will remain central to their game plan against Argentina.
“It’s all about determination and teamwork,” Sulaiman said after the match via FIFA plus. “We played very well, and I’m proud of the team because we were 1-0 down and came back to tie. Now we’re through to the Round of 16, so I’m happy.”
The AS Trencin forward was one of Nigeria’s most dangerous players on the night, troubling Colombia’s defence. He came close to scoring when his curling effort struck the crossbar—one of three times Nigeria hit the woodwork in the game.
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Adjustments for Argentina
With Argentina waiting in the next round, Sulaiman insists the Flying Eagles will need to improve on their game if they are to progress.
“Yeah, I can say we’ll do more—we won’t struggle in the next round of the tournament because, as you can see, we’ve been struggling,” he admitted.“But we came back and got a tie, and the next round is going to be better for sure. I trust my team.”
Though Sulaiman will miss the clash due to suspension, the winger expressed full confidence in his teammates’ ability to deliver a stronger performance.
Sulaiman’s Confidence in The Squad
Sulaiman also reiterated his belief in the team’s potential to go beyond the Round of 16, and has backed coach Aliyu Zubairu’s tactics and the players’ fighting spirit.
“I’ve been confident about this team since day one. I trust the boys,” he added.“They will give us everything it takes for us to go through to the quarterfinals.”
Nigeria will face Argentina, winners of Group D and one of the tournament’s most in-form teams, on Tuesday, October 8, at the Estadio El Teniente in Chile.