The national U-17 men’s team, the Golden Eaglets, will kick off their WAFU B U-17 title defense in Ghana today, facing familiar adversaries Burkina Faso.
This encounter holds special significance as Burkina Faso thwarted the Eaglets’ bid for a spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia last year.
Under the guidance of coach Nduka Ugbade at the previous WAFU B tournament in 2022, the Eaglets secured a 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso to claim the title. However, at the 2023 U-17 Nations Cup in Algeria, their Burkinabe counterparts emerged triumphant, defeating Nigeria 2-1 in the quarter-finals and denying the five-time world champions a World Cup ticket.
Despite the introduction of a new generation of players on both sides, the history between these teams will undoubtedly fuel a desire for vengeance as they embark on a fresh journey towards the 2025 Nations Cup and the expanded 2025 World Cup in Qatar.
In March, the FIFA Council announced that the U-17 World Cup would be expanded to accommodate 48 teams, becoming an annual event rather than biennial, showcasing FIFA’s unwavering commitment to youth football.
Now under the guidance of coach Manu Garba, who led the team to victory in the 2013 World Cup, the Eaglets have successfully cleared the mandatory MRI test, instilling confidence in Garba regarding the squad’s quality. Before departing Nigeria, Garba had to trim his squad due to failures in the same test.
“We are pleased with the results. Having the entire squad available for the tournament provides us with some reassurance,” expressed Garba in an interview with NFF media. “The players have been responding well to training, and the weather here in Ghana is similar to what we experienced in Abuja before our departure. Our main objective is to secure one of the two tickets available for the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations. Our focus is currently on our opening match against Burkina Faso today.”
Simon Cletus, a player from the previous squad, has been bestowed with the responsibility of captaining the team, according to Francis Achi, the team’s media officer.
The Eaglets’ clash against Burkina Faso will take place at the Ghana University Stadium in Accra at 4 pm Nigerian time. Subsequently, they will face Niger Republic on Sunday at 7 pm Nigerian time, followed by a match against Togo on Wednesday at 5 pm Nigerian time.
