Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets exited the WAFU-B U17 Championship following a 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast at the Stade du 4-Août in Ouagadougou.
Failure at the WAFU-B championship means the Golden Eaglets will miss the 2027 U17 AFCON set for Morocco.
Nigeria exits the Championship with one point from two matches, and finished bottom of Group B behind Ivory Coast, and group winners Niger.
Columbus Igboenyobe’s late strike for Nigeria cancelled Alex Bamba’s early goal in a match the Ivorians dominated and created more chances.
Bamba bundled into the net on 17 minutes following a corner kick delivery into the box, and the bar prevented the team doubling its lead in the second period. Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s boys threw the kitchen sink at the Ivorians and they equalized five minutes from time through Igboenyobe’s instinctive finish from a rebound.
Abiodun John blazed high and wide when clean through on goal for the lead, while Ivory Coast goalkeeper saved another effort in injury time.
Nigeria finish the Championship without a win for the first time ever, and her lowest-ever points haul.
What You Should Know
The failure of the Golden Eaglets to qualify for the 2027 U17 AFCON marks a historic low for Nigerian youth football, as the team finished at the bottom of Group B with just one point from two matches and no wins throughout the tournament.
- Potential Concerns: This early exit highlights deep-seated developmental challenges in Nigerian grassroots football, raising serious questions about talent scouting, preparation, and the future competitiveness of the country’s cadet teams on the continental stage.
