AfconQ: Golden Eaglets face Cote d’Ivoire hurdle in semifinal showdown

The Nigerian lads need one more win to guarantee their spot in next year’s cadet continental championship scheduled to take place in Algeria

The Golden Eaglets will trade tackles with the Cote d’Ivoire u-17 national team in the semifinals of the WAFU B Zone u-17 Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, June 21.

The Nigerian boys finished top of Group A, which has only three teams, after beating Ghana 4-2 and Togo 3-1 in a show of total dominance.

Cote d’Ivoire, on Saturday, set up a date with the Golden Eaglets despite falling 4-2 to Group B winners Burkina Faso.

The Ivorians had earlier been stunned 3-2 by a hard-fighting Benin u-17 team in their opening group match.

But the Baby Elephants regained their composure on matchday two to force a 6-1 humiliation down the throat of the Niger Republic.

But needing only a draw to guarantee second place behind Burkina Faso u-17, Benin were themselves handed a 3-1 spanking by Niger, allowing the Baby Elephants to steal past them into the semifinals.

High-flying Burkina Faso, the only unbeaten team in the competition alongside Nigeria, face Group A runners-up Ghana in the other semifinal clash.

The two semi-final matches will take place at the Cape Coast Stadium on Tuesday.

Only the finalists are guaranteed their spots at the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Algeria next year.

The Golden Eaglets are the most successful cadet team on planet earth, with a record five world titles.