Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets suffered a 2-1 defeat to Niger in their opening match of the WAFU B U17 Championship in Ouagadougou on Wednesday. The result leaves coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s side needing a victory in their final group game to reach the semi-finals, Bold Sports reports.
The defeat puts pressure on Nigeria ahead of Saturday’s clash with Côte d’Ivoire. The Golden Eaglets must win to secure progression and keep their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations alive.
Golden Eaglets fall behind in the first half
Nigeria struggled to create clear chances during the opening stages. Their difficulties continued in the 19th minute when Abdoul Rasak Zada scored to give Niger the lead.
The Golden Eaglets went into half-time trailing by a goal. Uwejamomere made changes after the break, but his players could not find an equaliser.
More Read
Nigeria’s search for a breakthrough continued into the closing stages. However, Niger extended their advantage in the 86th minute to move closer to victory.
Substitute Mubarak Fasiu pulled one back for Nigeria in stoppage time. His goal gave the Golden Eaglets a late lifeline, but they could not complete the comeback.
Nigeria face decisive Côte d’Ivoire test
The result leaves Nigeria with little room for error in their final Group B fixture. The team must overcome Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday to secure a place in the semi-finals.
The WAFU B U17 Championship also serves as a qualifying competition for the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Nigeria will therefore need a stronger attacking display and greater defensive discipline in their next match. Failure to progress would deal another setback to the team’s hopes of returning to the continental tournament.
The Golden Eaglets must now respond under pressure, with their qualification campaign hanging on Saturday’s decisive encounter.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
