AFCON U17: Golden Eaglets Draw Algeria, Avoid Morocco, Cameroon

The draw for the 2021 cadet continental championship has been completed in Mauritania with the five-time world champions avoiding a few of the big names

Nigeria have been paired against Algeria, Tanzania, and Congo in the Group B of the African U17 Cup of Nations scheduled to kick off next month in Morocco. 

The Golden Eaglets’ opponents were decided at the draw ceremony held at the Monotel Dar El Barka Hotel in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

The favourable draw sees Nigeria avoid host nation Morocco, perennial foes Cameroon, and West Africa regional champions Ivory Coast.

Tournament hosts Morocco will slug it out with Uganda, Zambia and Ivory Coast for one of the two automatic qualifying tickets in Group A.

But Group C looks like the toughest of them all with a talented Mali placed among three heavyweights in Cameroon, Senegal and South Africa.

Nigeria, two-time champions of the competition, qualified for the U-17 AFCON after placing second at the WAFU B U-17 Tournament in Togo January, where the Fatai Amoo-led side lost 3-2 to Ivory Coast in the final match.

The U-17 AFCON will be held in Morocco between March 13 and 31. The Eaglets are the most successful team on the world stage, winning five U-17 titles.