Golden Eaglets head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back from their opening defeat to Niger when they face Ivory Coast in a must-win clash at the WAFU-B U17 Championship on Saturday.
Speaking at his press conference at Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Friday, Uwejamomere urged his players to remain calm and focused as they prepare for the decisive Group B encounter.
The Nigerian tactician acknowledged the setback against Niger but insisted that his side remained in good spirits ahead of the encounter with the Ivorians.
“We had a setback in the game against Niger Republic, but we are in great spirit to overcome it as we play Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday,” Uwejamomere said.
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“It is a dicey situation. We are calm and reminding the players of how we want to play. We have analysed Côte d’Ivoire, how they play, their strengths and weaknesses.”
“There is just a little bit of pressure because it is a must-win game for Nigeria. So, we have to keep the players composed and believing in themselves, knowing that we can get the result we need.”
“The Ivorians are a very good side. They can fight, but we also have to fight and show them how much we want the victory. We know what we have to do to beat them. I’m confident,” he concluded.
The Golden Eaglets suffered a 2-1 defeat to Niger in their opening match on Wednesday, leaving the five-time FIFA U17 World Cup champions with little room for error in their final group fixture.
Uwejamomere, however, drew encouragement from Nigeria’s previous experiences at the competition, recalling how the team lost their opening matches at the 2018 and 2021 editions of the WAFU-B U17 Championship before recovering to qualify.
The coach will be hoping his players can draw inspiration from those campaigns as they seek to overturn their fortunes and keep their tournament ambitions alive.
Victory against Ivory Coast is crucial for Nigeria, who must secure all three points to boost their chances of reaching the semi-finals and maintain their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
With their campaign hanging in the balance, the Golden Eaglets face a defining test of their resilience as they look to respond to Wednesday’s disappointment and keep their continental ambitions on track.
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