TheCable

Flying Eagles assistant coach, Nduka Ugbade, expects a better U-20 national team in the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Nigeria won the Africa Youth Championship in Senegal and are already grouped alongside Brazil, Hungary and North Korea for the World Cup.

The team would commence preparation for the competition with a camp in Abuja on April 7, and Ugbade says they will use that period to improve the team.

“We have just about two months within which we are expected to improve our game by correcting all our mistakes,” he told sl10.ng.

“We have to correct the mistakes noticed at the Africa Youth Championship or at the very least 80 percent of them instead of just remaining at the same level.

“We must have to improve because in Africa, skills, individual intelligence and team coordination and cohesion but when you go to an advanced stage like the World Cup, you have to be better because of the advanced mental speed.

“So automatically, we must be able to function at that level or better. Our strength level, movement, reaction, mental speed, movement and understanding of tactical discipline must improve.”

Nigeria will play Brazil in their first group match on June 1 before meeting North Korea on June 4. Their last group match is against Hungary on June 7.

All three games are scheduled for the Stadium Taranaki, in New Plymouth.