Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets land in Ghana to challenge champions Cote D’Ivoire for WAFU B Afcon qualifiers

The Nigerian youngsters will aim to beat allcomers and make it to the tournament proper early next year in Algeria

The contingent of players and officials of the Nigeria under-17 national team, Golden Eaglets, have landed in Accra, Ghana, for the 2022 WAFU B U-17 Cup of Nations qualifiers which commences this weekend.

The Eaglets were received on arrival by officials of the Ghana Football Association and Members of the Local Organizing Committee led by Chairman Samuel Anim Addo.

Nigeria will battle six other countries including defending champions Cote D’Ivoire and host Ghana for one of two qualifying tickets to the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations to be hosted by Algeria later this year.

The Golden Eaglets played in the final of the last edition of the Afcon qualifiers in Togo but lost 3-2 to the Baby Elephants at the Stade de Kégué on January 18, 2021.

Both Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire qualified for the 14th edition of the U17 Afcon in Morocco following their final positions. However, the competition did not get held because of the outbreak of Covid-19.

The Ivorian team will hope to defend the title in Ghana but the Golden Eaglets led by coach Nduka Ugbade will look to provide stiff competition.

The Golden Eaglets, the most successful team in the world at this level with five World Cup titles, are in Group A alongside the Black Starlets and Togo. The two top teams proceed to the semifinals.

Group B has Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger and Cote D’Ivoire.

The two finalists from the competition will feature at the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Algeria early next year for a chance to qualify for the Fifa U17 World Cup to be hosted by Peru.

The WAFU B U-17 Cup of Nations qualifiers is scheduled for the Cape Coast stadium from Saturday, June 11 to Friday, June 24, 2022.

GOLDEN EAGLETS FOR WAFU B U17 CHAMPIONSHIP IN CAPE COAST

Goalkeepers: Richard Odoh, Hameed Balogun, Pascal Uzoho

Defenders: Jeremiah Olaleke, Emmanuel Michael, Tochukwu Ogboji, Yahaya Lawal, Miracle Ogwor

Midfielders: Basil Mbata, Ebube Okere, Tochukwu Ogbabido, Richard Uche, Ozor Okeke, Raphael Oyebanjo

Forwards: Umar Abubakar, Kevwe Iyede, Light Eke, Abubakar Abdullahi, Jubril Azeez, Precious Williams

Standby: Utibe Silas, Abdullahi Buhari, Abubakar Shaibu, Tijjani Mohammed, Stephen Emmanuel