Nigeria’s Future Eagles finished the first stage of the 2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival with a 1-1 draw against Pakistan on Monday. The encounter took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, as Nigeria concluded their opening phase with five matches, Bold Sports reports.
Timothy Ijach scored Nigeria’s equaliser in the 25th minute. His goal cancelled out Kaleemulah’s opener and helped the Future Eagles secure another point. Nigeria had entered the fixture following a 2-1 comeback victory over Cyprus earlier on Monday.
Ijach rescues a point for Nigeria
Pakistan struck first in the 21st minute through Kaleemulah. However, Nigeria responded quickly as Ijach restored parity just four minutes later.
The equaliser brought Nigeria back into the contest. Both teams subsequently searched for a winning goal but failed to find another breakthrough. The match therefore ended 1-1, denying Nigeria a second consecutive victory.
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Despite the draw, the Future Eagles completed the first stage without a defeat across their five matches.
Future Eagles complete first stage unbeaten
Nigeria collected seven points from five games, recording one victory and four draws. Their campaign began with a 3-3 draw against South Sudan. They then shared four goals with Jordan in a 2-2 encounter.
The Future Eagles continued their run of draws against The Gambia, playing out another 3-3 result. However, they finally secured their first victory with a 2-1 comeback win over Cyprus.
Nigeria could not build on that success against Pakistan. Nevertheless, the result extended their unbeaten run throughout the first stage.
Their five results highlight a campaign filled with goals. Nigeria scored 11 goals and conceded 10 across those encounters.
Nigeria await the next phase
The Future Eagles will now turn their attention to the next phase of the 2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival. Their seven-point return provides the foundation for the next stage of the competition.
Nigeria will hope to improve on their performances as the tournament progresses. Their ability to turn draws into victories could prove important in the coming fixtures.
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