Nigeria’s woes continued at continental youth level on Wednesday, as the cadet national team, Golden Eaglets failed to shine in their opening match of this year’s West African Football Union (WAFU) zone-B championship in Lome, Togo, and Coach Fatai Folorunsho Amoo’s side fell 1-0 to Cote d’Ivoire.
Megasportsarena.com reports that it was the expected fireworks that erupted all evening long in the encounter, but the Eaglets fell short ultimately, just as the under-20 side, Flying Eagles had done against the same country last month in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.
This time out, the Eaglets began their title defence with a 1-0 loss to the physically smaller lads from the Francophone country, who created the better chances and deserved their win against a disappointing Nigerian team.
The match winner was scored in the 76th minute to decide the game with a low shot beyond Eaglets’ goalkeeper, Destiny Emuwahen; meaning Amoo’s side will now have to win their next game against arch-rivals Ghana at the weekend to stay alive in the competition, which serves as qualifiers for the 2021 African U-17 Cup of Nations in Benin Republic.
A report by fcnaija.com added: “With Group B having only three teams and each team to play only two matches, the chances of the Eaglets progressing has been made more difficult with the opening day loss.
“Having started with a loss in Lome, the Golden Eaglets are condemned to win their other Group game against arch-rivals Ghana on Saturday. Both Nigeria and Ghana have seven cadet world titles between them, and clashes between them at any level usually have an extra edge.
“At the moment, the goal for the Golden Eaglets is to qualify for this year’s CAF U17 Cup of Nations taking place in the North African kingdom of Morocco. Already, FIFA has announced that the U-17 and U-20 World Cups will not hold this year as earlier scheduled.”
