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Tag: Golden Eaglets

  • U17 AFCON: Eaglets not qualified as CAF insists on a 12-team final tournament

    U17 AFCON: Eaglets not qualified as CAF insists on a 12-team final tournament

    The Confederation of African Football has clarified that next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations will still have 12 finalists in attendance, as against the minimum of 16 teams being projected by African football enthusiasts.

    This means that despite defeating host nation Ghana in Tuesday’s third-place match of the WAFU B U17 Championship, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria have not qualified for the finals.

    “The final tournament will still have 12 teams,” CAF’s Director of Competitions, Samson Adamu, told thenff.com.

    Expectations had been high among African football aficionados that the 2025 Africa U17 Cup of Nations would be expanded, following FIFA’s allocation, at its Congress in Bangkok, penultimate week, of 10 slots to the continent for the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup that Qatar has been designated to host.

    Qatar will host five consecutive FIFA U17 World Cup finals beginning next year, each having 48 teams in attendance.

  • BREAKING: Golden Eaglets of Nigeria qualify for U17 AFCON

    BREAKING: Golden Eaglets of Nigeria qualify for U17 AFCON

    Nigeria finished in third place to scoop the bronze medals and book a place at next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations after a hard-fought 3-2 defeat of hosts Ghana at the WAFU B U17 Championship on Tuesday.

     

    For several days now, there had been opacity around the number of teams that would proceed to the 2025 Africa U17 Cup of Nations from the tournament in Ghana, but the window opened for the third-place winner here when, minutes to kick-off, Cote d’Ivoire (already in the competition final), was designated as hosts of next year’s continental finals.

     

    With Cote d’Ivoire as hosts and guaranteed a slot, Burkina Faso (no matter the result of the final match) and the third-place winner in the earlier game of the final day, were assured of berths in Abidjan.

     

    Stung by the words of NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, the Eaglets took to the field with a winner’s mentality and took the lead in the 9th minute when Imrana Muhammad lashed the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble.

     

    Home support at the University of Accra Stadium gingered the Black Starlets into action, and they equalized 10 minutes later when a Nigerian defender unwittingly put the ball into his own net.

     

    Three-time world champions Ghana took the lead for the first time in the game in the 27th minute when Harve Gbafa profited from a defensive blunder to beat goalkeeper Dominic Chinedu in goal for Nigeria.

     

    Six minutes later, Abdulmuiz Adeleke, who got a brace in the Eaglets’ 3-0 defeat of Togo in their final group phase match, rattled Starlets’ goalkeeper Michael Armah, but the ball was cleared out of danger.

     

    The Eaglets were unrelenting, and four minutes before half-time, Adeleke took his tournament tally to three when he nodded in the equalizer from a pull-out by John Ogwuche.

     

    Both teams started the second period where they left off at half time, with delightful attacking football. Ogwuche’s rebound missed the target in the 79th minute.

     

    In the second minute of added time, and with both teams appearing to be thinking of the inevitable penalty shootout, Adeleke took matters into his own hands and netted the winner for Nigeria to secure a place at next year’s continental finals.

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  • WAFU B: Golden Eaglets win Bronze, beat hosts Ghana 3-2 in Accra

    WAFU B: Golden Eaglets win Bronze, beat hosts Ghana 3-2 in Accra

    The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria claimed the bronze medal at the WAFU B U-17 Championship after defeating the Black Starlets 1-0 at the University of Accra Stadium.

    Imrana Muhammad gave Nigeria the lead inside nine minute of   the thrilling encounter.

    The Black Starlets fought back, with Harve Gbafa netting the equaliser 10 minutes later.

    Gbafa again, found the back of the net three minutes before half hour mark, capitalising on an error by a Nigerian defender.

    Nigeria drew level four minutes before the break following a superb attacking play, after Abdulmuiz Adeleke nodded home from a John Ogwuche cross.

    Golden Eaglets forward, Adeleke struck in the dying minutes to win the game for the Golden Eaglets.

    Adeleke ended the WAFU B competition with four goals and is in the running for the tournament’s golden boot award.

    Burkina Faso will face off with Cote D’Ivoire in the Final on Wednesday.

     

     

  • Golden Eaglets’ hopes of playing at the World Cup raised as FIFA increases Africa’s slot to 10

    Golden Eaglets’ hopes of playing at the World Cup raised as FIFA increases Africa’s slot to 10

    The hopes of the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria to feature at the next U-17 World Cup has been raised following the announcement from FIFA increasing Africa’s  slots from 4  to 10.

    Recall that the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria failed to reach the final of WAFU B, a competition meant to produce two representatives for the African U-17 championship holding in Algeria later in the year .

    By virtue of making it to the final of WAFU B, Burkina Faso and Cote D’Ivoire already bagged qualification to African U-17 championship.

    Initially, the African U-17 Championship  was meant to produce four African countries for the World Cup.

    However, rising from its congress few days ago, FIFA announced that 48 countries will participate in the next FIFA U17 World Cup in 2025 and increased the slots allocated to Africa from four to ten.

    Since the announcement, the Confederation of African Football has not stated the modalities for qualification after FIFA increased Africa’s slot to 10.

    FIFA’s increment to 10 slots means that Africa will be able to present six more countries for the World Cup and the hopes of Golden Eaglets and the Black stars of Ghana both countries  who initially crashed out of the qualification process have been raised.

    In all, 48 countries will participate at the next U-17 World Cup taking place in Qatar next year 2025.

     

  • WAFU B U17 Championship: Eaglets confront Black Starlets for bronze

    WAFU B U17 Championship: Eaglets confront Black Starlets for bronze

    Global youth football powers Nigeria and Ghana will on Tuesday battle it out for the bronze medals of the ongong WAFU B U17 Championship in Accra, Ghana.

    Given their pedigree at this level, both nations should have been preparing to test strength and savvy for who deserved the trophy, in the final match of the competition. However, the Eaglets were downed by Cote d’Ivoire’s Baby Elephants while the Starlets were plucked by the Baby Etalons of Burkina Faso in the semi-finals.

    With the West African Football Union still unable to provide clarity on the number of teams that will proceed to the 2025 Africa U17 Cup of Nations from WAFU B, General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi has charged the Eaglets to go all out and execute the third-place encounter like a final match.

    “We are still awaiting clarity on the number of teams that will qualify to the U17 AFCON from this tournament. Some people have said only three teams; some said four teams. It is therefore important that our boys go out there and play their hearts out to finish in third place.

    “The Black Starlets will not be an easy ride. They are the home side and they will bank on the support of the fans. But our boys have what it takes to achieve victory.”

    The third-place match will kick off at 3pm Ghana time (4pm Nigeria time) at the University of Accra Stadium, ahead of the final match between Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, which commences at 6pm Ghana time (7pm Nigeria time).

  • Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets to miss U-17 World Cup

    Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets to miss U-17 World Cup

    Five-time world champions Nigeria and three-time world champions Ghana were eliminated from the WAFU B U17 Championship at the semi-final stage on Saturday, with Burkina Faso getting the better of the host nation and the Baby Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire narrowly sending the Eaglets packing.

    Burkina Faso was the first team in the final after a 2-1 defeat of the Black Starlets. In the second semi-final, rampaging Cote d’Ivoire scored through Youbah Coulibaly off a defensive mix-up by Nigeria in the 54th minute and that strike separated both teams at the University of Accra Stadium.

    It was a tough battle for the Eaglets as the Baby Elephants showed greater composure and hunger for the final ticket, and goalkeeper Dominic Chinedu came to the Eaglets’ rescue on several occasions.

    The result means that the Golden Eaglets have failed to qualify for next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations, where Africa’s flag-bearers at next year’s FIFA U17 World Cup finals will emerge.

  • WAFU B: Golden Eaglets thrash Togo 3-0, progress to Semi-final

    WAFU B: Golden Eaglets thrash Togo 3-0, progress to Semi-final

    The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria have progressed to the semi-final of the ongoing WAFU B U-17 Championship after recording a comfortable 3-0 win against Togo.

    Golden Eaglets fowards, Abdulmuiz Adeleke grabbed a brace while Rapha Adams gave the Eaglets maximum points in the game.

    Adeleke scored the curtain raiser 11 minutes after he set up Rapha Adams.

    The holders doubled their advantage through Rapha Adams 10 minutes before the break with captain Simon Cletus providing the assist.

    It was the young forward’s second goal of the competition.

    Adeleke then grabbed the second of the night inside 57th minute of the thrilling  encounter.

    He missed the chance to score a hat-trick after failing to convert from the spot in the 68th minute.

    The Golden Eaglets finished top of Group B with seven points from three games.

    Manu Garba’s boys will face Cote d’Ivoire in the semi-final.

    The two finalists will progress to the U-17 AFCON that will later take place in Algeria later in the year.

  • WAFU B: Heavy downpour stops Nigeria vs Togo clash, new date revealed

    WAFU B: Heavy downpour stops Nigeria vs Togo clash, new date revealed

    The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria will now face off with their Togolese counterparts on Thursday Morning after their game was shifted due to a heavy downpour at University Stadium.

    Recall that the WAFU B U-17 Championship Group B encounter was initially scheduled for 5 pm on Wednesday but was postponed due to heavy downpour.

    According to Golden Eaglets media officer, Francis Achi, the game will kick off at 9 am Nigerian time.

    The other Group B clash between Burkina Faso and Niger Republic has also been shifted to Thursday morning for the same reason.

    Both last group B matches  will be played simultaneously with the Nigeria versus Togo game.

    The Golden Eaglets need a point from the game against Togo to progress to the semi-final of the competition.

    Hosts Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have already qualified for the last four.

    Two finalists will progress to the African U-17 Championship billed to hold in Algeria later this year.

  • WAFU B: We will defend, attack and score as a team, says Golden Eaglets’ forward Adams

    WAFU B: We will defend, attack and score as a team, says Golden Eaglets’ forward Adams

    After scoring the winning goal against the Junior Mena of Niger, Golden Eaglets’ striker Rapha Adams says that the team will work very hard to beat Togo on Wednesday.

    According to the Sporting Supreme FC of Abuja attacker, the Eaglets will do all they can to beat Togo and qualify for the semi- final, noting that winning will be the collective effort of all the players on the pitch.

    “We thank God for the victory over Niger. It was a tough game. No game is easy and we know that the game against Togo will be another tough one as well,” Adams told thenff.com in Accra, Ghana on Tuesday evening.

    “We will defend, attack and score as a team by the grace of God. We have been working hard in training and we will work harder on match day. Our coaches have been teaching us a lot and if we can inteprete everything we have been taught very well against Togo, we will come out victorious.”

    Golden Eaglets will file out against Togo on Wednesday at 5pm Nigeria time. Nigeria have four points from two games, the same number of points with Burkina Faso that sits atop on goals difference of plus two, while Nigeria has plus one.

  • WAFU B: Golden Eaglets inch closer to semi-final, pip Niger Republic 1-0

    WAFU B: Golden Eaglets inch closer to semi-final, pip Niger Republic 1-0

    Nigeria joined Burkina Faso at the top of group B of the WAFU B U17 Championship after a lone goal defeat of Niger Republic at the University of Accra Stadium on Sunday.

    Rapha Adams’ 31st-minute goal separated both teams on the night, the Nigeria side played the final 27 minutes with 10 men after Chibuike Okorie was shown the red card.

    Victory means the five-time world champions climbed to four points, same as Burkina Faso, ahead of the closing day of group B attrition on Wednesday when the Eaglets confront group whipping boys Togo at the Accra Sports Stadium, while Burkina Faso square up to three-pointer Niger Republic at the University of Accra Stadium.

    The Golden Eaglets will face already-eliminated Togo in their last group game on Wednesday.

    A draw against the Togolese team on Wednesday will guarantee the Eaglets a place in the tournament’s semi finals.

    STAR-BOY: Nigeria captain Simon Cletus wins Player of the Match award, just as he did in the match against Burkina Faso on Day 1.

     

    GROUP B RESULTS

    Burkina Faso 0 Nigeria 0

    Niger Rep 3 Togo 2

    Togo 0 Burkina Faso 2

    Nigeria 1 Niger Republic 0