Norway’s U-20 coach, Bjørn Johansen, has tipped Nigeria’s Flying Eagles as the most physical side in their FIFA U-20 World Cup group, setting the stage for an intriguing clash in Chile later this month, Footynaija.com reports.
The Scandinavians will open their Group F campaign against the Flying Eagles on 29 September, before facing Colombia and Saudi Arabia. For Johansen, the three teams offer contrasting challenges that will test his boys in different ways.
While admitting that Norway must be at their sharpest to stand a chance, he was quick to single out Nigeria as the team with unmatched strength and power.
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According to a report by Fotball.no, Johansen said it is a natural ambition to aim high, but added that Nigeria stands out in terms of physicality.
“It’s a natural ambition, no doubt about it. There are three quite different teams in terms of style and physicality. Nigeria is the best in terms of physics,” Johansen stated.
Looking beyond the Flying Eagles, the coach rated Colombia as the most balanced team in the group, while he believes Saudi Arabia bring flair and technical skill to the table.
“Colombia I consider the best team, and Saudi Arabia has skills at a very high level. They are exciting opponents, but a group we can definitely advance from,” he added.
Norway, who sealed qualification after a dramatic 10-9 penalty shootout win over Turkey in the UEFA playoff, are hoping to reach the knockout stages of the U-20 World Cup for the first time in their history.
The Flying Eagles, meanwhile, are gunning for a deep run after clinching bronze at the U20 AFCON earlier this year.
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