Tag: Golden Eaglets

Five time FIFA U-17 World Cup record winners, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, have yet again missed the chance to qualify from the next  continental cadet showpiece (CAF U-17 AFCON) after they were upended 2-0 by Ghana’s Black Starlets in the decisive semi-final match at the ongoing WAFU B U-17 Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The Black Starlets cored twice in the opening half of the game at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium to advance to the final stage of the tournament at the expense of their Golden Eaglets counterparts.

Michael Awuli opened the scoring for Prosper Ogum’s side after just 21 minutes played, finishing off a nice move from the Starlets.

Ten minutes later, Robinho Yao Gavi doubled the lead for the team with a brilliant strike from the 18-yard box to put Ghana in a comfortable situation.

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The Black Starlets goalkeeper Solomon Kwame Kesse rescued his team on ew occasions that the  Nigerians threatened.

With victory over Nigeria, the Black Starlets will now face Cote d’Ivoire in the final scheduled for Friday, October 3.

Incidentally, both teams  had previously met in the group stage, with Ghana losing 0-3-0 to the Baby Elephants.

Ghana’s appearance in the final also means they seal a slot at the next edition of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, returning to the continental tournament for the first time since 2017.

The Golden Eaglets missed the 2025 U-17  AFCON  which serves as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U17 World Cup and Tuesday’s loss to Ghana means Nigeria will miss out of the next African Championship as such no Mundial appearance .

Four players of the Golden Eaglets have been selected in the Group Stage’s   Best X1 at  the ongoing WAFU B U17 tournament by the competition’s Technical Study Group.

Captain David Edeh leads the quartet along  with wing dynamite, Boluwatife Thompson, George Agha, the hat- trick hero against Benin Republic and defence marshal, Godwin Menyaga.

Agha won the MVP award in the game against Benin Republic, Thompson repeated same feat in the game against Burkina- Faso.

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Yesterday night Nigeria filed out against the Black Starlets of Ghana with a place in the final and qualification for 2026 AFCON U17 tournament to be hosted by Morocco as a reward.

Meanwhile, Cote d’Ivoire booked the first ticket to the grand finale following a 2-1 win over the defending champions, the Young Etalons   of Burkina- Faso in the first semi-final of the competition.

The Golden Eaglets lost  2-0 to   Ghana’s Black  Starlets in the  second semi-final.

The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria booked their place in the semifinals of the WAFU-B U17 Tournament, which serves as qualifiers for the U17 Africa Cup of Nations, after a goalless draw with Burkina Faso in Yamoussoukro on Saturday.

The result ensured Nigeria topped Group B on goal difference, securing a path to the knockout stage.

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Having opened their campaign with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Benin Republic, Manu Garba’s boys entered the tie with confidence.

They controlled the early exchanges, moving the ball with purpose.

Goalkeeper Great Edafe produced the game’s first big save in the 20th minute, parrying away a fierce effort from the Burkinabe attack to keep the contest level. Nigeria’s pressure continued as the first half wore on, but the opposition proved disciplined in defense, shutting down openings and frustrating the Eaglets’ frontline.

A hat-trick from George Agha and a sublime free-kick goal from David Edeh ensured a comfortable start for five-time world champions Nigeria in the WAFU-B U17 Championship, as the Golden Eaglets routed Baby Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4 -1 in Yamoussoukro on Wednesday.

Agha converted from the spot three minutes into the game after Boluwatife Thompson was hacked inside the box.

Edeh displayed fantastic football artistry to score from a free-kick in the 5^th  minute of the encounter.

The Eaglets were in cruise control as Agha bagged his brace in the 14^th  minute. The charges of Manu Garba were very dominant with a three-goal advantage.

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Warris Soumanou in goal for Benin Republic was caught napping and his error of judgement gave the Eaglets another goal after a beautiful exchange of passes and dribbles between Thompson and Edeh, which set up Agha for his  hat-trick in the 32^nd  minute.

It was raining goals and it was the turn of the Beninoise in the 45^th  minute, as a low drive from Jeremy Zannou gave the Baby Cheetahs a consolation goal.

In a related development, Nigeria’s U20 Boys, Flying Eagles, on Tuesday defeated their Australian counterparts 3-1 in a friendly match played in Santiago, as part of preparations for this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals starting in Chile on Saturday.

Five-time world champions Nigeria will begin their quest for another title with a game against their counterparts from Benin Republic in Yamoussoukro tomorrow, 24^th September, in their first match of the on-going WAFU-B U17 Championship. Venue is the Stade du Lycee Scientifique.

The competition in the Ivorian city is the qualifying tournament for next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations, at which Africa’s flag-bearers to the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup finals in Qatar will be decided.

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In group A, Cote d’Ivoire defeated Niger Republic 2-0 while Togo and Ghana drew 1-1 as the competition kicked off at the weekend.

Burkina Faso’s Baby Stallions on Sunday laboured to a 1-0 win over the Beninoise squad, in the first match of the three-team group B. Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Niger Republic make up group A.

The U17 Boys National Team, Golden Eaglets, will today depart the country for the city of Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire where they will participate in this year’s WAFU-B U17 Boys Tournament.

In their final friendly game before the tournament, the Eaglets drew 0-0 with Mop Stars FC on Monday. The team played a total of 13 friendly matches while in camp, winning 10, drawing two and losing only one. They scored 25 goals and conceded five.

The five-time world champions will begin their campaign in the tournament against Baby Cheetahs of Benin Republic on Wednesday, 24th September, before taking on Burkina Faso in Group B. Group A has hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Niger Republic, Ghana and Togo.

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Matches will be played at the Stade du Lycée Scientifique in Yamoussoukro, which has a natural turf and was constructed for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Golden Eagles for WAFU-B U17 Boys Tournament:

Goalkeepers: Aquila Ahur (Mailantarki FC); Great Edafe (Beyond Limits); Paul Awelewa (Morak FC)

Defenders: Abdullateef Lasisi (La Planet); Mubarak Rasheed (RFO FC); Sadiq Salihu (Niger Tornadoes); Godwin Menyaga (Adoration FC); Abdulsamad Salisu (Central FC); Emmanuel Asika (Mailantarki FC)

Midfielders: Paul Ugwu (RBM FC); Famous Umole (Derby FC); David Edeh (Adoration FC); Umar Yahaya (Footwork FC); Ahmed Yusuf (One-Touch FC)

Forwards: Wisdom Innocent (Wonderland FC); George Agha (Unique & Fine FC); Boluwatife Thompson (Breeders FC); Emeka Nnalue (Collins FC); Salim Umar (Dante FC); Auwal Muhammad (36 Lions)

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will tackle Burkina Faso and Benin in Group B of the WAFU B U17 U17 AFCON qualifiers in Cote d’Ivoire.

The qualifying tournament will kick off on September 20 in Abidjan after Nigeria were stripped of the hosting rights.

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The Golden Eaglets led by coach Manu Garba will begin their campaign against Burkina Faso, before a final group game against Benin.

Hosts Cote d’Ivoire have been drawn in Group A along with Ghana and Niger.

The finalists of this competition will qualify for the 2025 U17 AFCON.

By Osinowo Joshua

National U-17 Men’s Coach  Manu Garba , optimistic that  his wards will put up a creditable performance  at  next month’s 2025 WAFU B U-17 Championship to be hosted  by Nigeria.

The Golden Eaglets are currently  in  Abuja preparing for the sub-regional tournament to be hosted in Ogun State  and Garba  said the  team was taking shape after winning five recent  friendly matches .  

The tournament  offers  Garba  and his wards to prove their mettle  after missing out of  the forthcoming FIFA U-17  World Cup holding  in Qatar later in the year.

“The team is  preparing for the WAFU B Under 17 Championship and I’m trying to build a strong team,” Garba who  led the Golden Eaglets  to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2013 said in an interview aired on Brila FM.  “That is the importance  of playing these friendly matches.

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 “We are still working on the team  and you can see that  we missed  so many scoring matches but we are going to correct  these mistakes,”  added Garba who was an assistant coach when  Nigeria won her  third U-17 World Cup title in 2007.

Despite eyebrows raised in some quarters regarding the recycling of coaches, Garba’s reappointment is seen by many as a strategic and well-founded move due to his proven  track records and experience  at international youth football level.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)  had in May  confirmed  that Ogun State  will play host to the 2025 WAFU B U-17 Championship  when the body’s President Ibrahim Musa Gusau paid a courtesy visit to the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, in Abeokuta.

The newly upgraded MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta and the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne are the two venues  earmarked to stage the sub-regional competition.

The regional championship will feature West African nations including Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger Republic, Benin, and Togo, alongside hosts Nigeria.

Nigeria’s U17 Boys, Golden Eaglets, have continued intensive preparations for next month’s WAFU-B U17 Boys Tournament, with the technical crew led by Coach Manu Garba working assiduously to produce a team capable of doing the country proud.

On Wednesday, the five-time world champions were ruthless in a 5-0 demolition of Winsome FC in a friendly game played at the FIFA Goal Project, MKO Abiola National Stadium.

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The Eaglets were two goals better going into the break and the team got more clinical in the second half, scoring three more goals to end the game 5-0. Winsome FC is from Oporoza Island, Warri South West, Delta State.

It was the fourth friendly game by the Eaglets, who are in camp preparing for the WAFU-B U17 Boys Tournament taking place next month.

In earlier games, they had beaten Espora Football Academy of Abuja 4-0, pipped GASA of Ilorin by a lone goal and came from behind to defeat Bandex Football Academy of Kebbi 3-2.