The Golden Eaglets have impressed so far in the competition, topping Group B with four points, having scored four goals and conceded just one. Their solid form has made them one of the tournament’s favourites as they chase a place in the final and a ticket to the 2026 Africa U17 Cup of Nations.

In contrast, the Black Starlets had a difficult path to the last four. They began their campaign with a 1–1 draw against Togo, suffered a 3–0 defeat to hosts Côte d’Ivoire, and looked headed for elimination before two late goals secured a crucial win over Niger Republic, ensuring their progression from Group A.

Tuesday’s encounter is expected to be a thrilling battle between two of West Africa’s most successful football nations. History, however, favours Nigeria. The Golden Eaglets defeated Ghana 4–2 in the opening match of the 2022 edition hosted in Cape Coast, and followed it up with another 3–2 victory in the bronze medal match of the last edition held in Accra.

A win for Nigeria on Tuesday will not only continue their dominance over Ghana at this level but also guarantee qualification for next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations, bringing them a step closer to reclaiming continental glory.

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The Garba-tutored Eaglets were in terrific form in scoring four goals within 35 minutes into the game to rout the Baby Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4-1 on Wednesday, and the highly experienced gaffter has said that his team, just like every other team in the tournament, wants to win every match.

“Every team wants to win every match in a competitive tournament, and so does Nigeria. We want to try as much as possible to win every match in this competition and by winning every match, we will be champions of the WAFU-B again because that is where my team belongs,” Garba said during Friday’s press conference, ahead of the game on Saturday.

“We are here to play every match according to the laws of the game, but most importantly, we want to try as much as possible to win the match against Burkina Faso,” he added.

He praised the efforts of his young players against Benin Republic, noting that none of the players was in the last edition of the tournament in Ghana. “My boys did very well against the Benin Republic. I did say that, that was their first international game. Most of these boys have never entered an airplane before coming to Ghana here. This is a new team. None of these boys featured the last time we played in the WAFU B U17 Championship in Ghana.

“As the tournament progresses, they will get better. In our last game, against the Beninoise, my captain was elbowed in the chest, so I had to bring him out. He has fully recovered now. I’m very optimistic that this team will get better,” he concluded.

The game is slated for 4pm Nigeria time at the Stade Lycee Scientifique in Yamoussoukro.

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The encounter marks Nigeria’s opening game in the ongoing WAFU-B U17 Championship, which serves as the qualifying tournament for next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations. That continental showpiece will in turn determine Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.

The tournament kicked off at the weekend with Group A fixtures, where hosts Cote d’Ivoire overpowered Niger Republic 2-0, while Togo and Ghana settled for a 1-1 draw.

In Group B action on Sunday, Burkina Faso’s Baby Stallions struggled to a narrow 1-0 win over Benin Republic, who will now look to bounce back against Nigeria.

The Golden Eaglets, with a storied history in youth football, are widely tipped as favourites, but must navigate tricky tests against Benin and Burkina Faso in their three-team group.

Nigeria will hope to draw from their pedigree as the most successful nation in FIFA U17 World Cup history as they begin another journey in Yamoussoukro.

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In their final friendly game before the tournament, the Eaglets drew 0-0 with Mop Stars FC on Monday. The team played a total of 13 friendly matches while in camp, winning 10, drawing two and losing only one. They scored 25 goals and conceded five.

The five-time world champions will begin their campaign in the tournament against Baby Cheetahs of Benin Republic on Wednesday, 24^th September, before taking on Burkina Faso in Group B. Group A has hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Niger Republic, Ghana and Togo.

Matches will be played at the Stade du Lycée Scientifique in Yamoussoukro, which has a natural turf and was constructed for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

GOLDEN EAGLES FOR WAFU-B U17 BOYS TOURNAMENT

Goalkeepers: Aquila Ahur (Mailantarki FC); Great Edafe (Beyond Limits); Paul Awelewa (Morak FC)

Defenders: Abdullateef Lasisi (La Planet); Mubarak Rasheed (RFO FC); Sadiq Salihu (Niger Tornadoes); Godwin Menyaga (Adoration FC); Abdulsamad Salisu (Central FC); Emmanuel Asika (Mailantarki FC)

Midfielders: Paul Ugwu (RBM FC); Famous Umole (Derby FC); David Edeh (Adoration FC); Umar Yahaya (Footwork FC); Ahmed Yusuf (One-Touch FC)

Forwards: Wisdom Innocent (Wonderland FC); George Agha (Unique & Fine FC); Boluwatife Thompson (Breeders FC); Emeka Nnalue (Collins FC); Salim Umar (Dante FC); Auwal Muhammad (36 Lions)

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Minutes after both countries’s senior home-based professionals could not find the net in an African Nations Championship qualifier scores of kilometres away at the Accra Sports Stadium, the girls were buoyant in a four-goal thriller that led to a penalty shootout, which the Maidens won after scoring all five of their spot kicks while Nigeria fluffed one of their own.

Getrude Amoafo put the hosts in front in the 14^th minute, and then the irrepressible Priscilla Mensah doubled the advantage five minutes later. It appeared the Maidens would coast to an easy victory, but the Nigerian girls had other ideas.

Precious Oscar halved the deficit in the 34^th minute, with a powerful volley right inside the Ghanaian vital area, and Harmony Chidi restored parity in the 78^th minute with a long-range strike that flew above goalkeeper Aishatu Fatai.

Defender Taiwo Adegoke handed the advantage to the hosts in the shootout, when she struck the woodwork from six yards, but the Flamingos certainly gave a good account of themselves in a tournament in which they scored 16 goals in four matches, conceding only four.

Benin Republic took the bronze medals with another penalty shootout defeat of Cote d’Ivoire in the third-place match played earlier in the day.   

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Scoring sensation Harmony Chidi notched a hat-trick as Nigeria edged Cote d’Ivoire 3-2 in their second match of the WAFU B U17 Girls’ Cup in Accra on Monday.

Chidi, who netted 13 of the 25 goals as the Flamingos crushed everything on their path in Africa to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic this year, took matters into her own hands to ensure Nigeria finished top of group B of the inaugural competition.

Following their 9-0 whiplash of Niger Republic on Thursday, the Flamingos finished the group campaign with the six maximum points, and with 12 goals for and only two against, while Cote d’Ivoire, 5-0 winners over the Nigeriens, came second with three points and seven goals for, three against. The Nigeriens finished without a point, and with no goal, 14 against.

The young Ivorian girls will go up against hosts, Black Maidens of Ghana in the first semi-final of the competition on Thursday, before the second semi-final that will see FIFA World Cup quarter-finalists Nigeria tackle neighbours Benin Republic at the Ghana Centre of Excellence in Prampram.

Esther Kwame, who scored the Ivorians’ first goal against Nigeria with a far-distance shot in the 56^th minute, and Guasam, who scored from the penalty spot to reduce the tally five minutes later after a foul by Rokibat Azeez, could prove a handful for the Black Maidens on Thursday. 

There are also goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, defenders Taiwo Adegoke and Ayomide Ibrahim, midfielder Faridat Abdulwahab, and forwards Peace Effiong and Mary Lucky Nkpa.

The Flamingos are in group B of the two-week competition, alongside the U17 girls of Niger Republic and Cote d’Ivoire, while hosts Ghana will play Benin Republic in group A, following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso. Togo had earlier withdrawn from the tournament.

Nigeria’s U17 girls reached the quarter-finals of the recent FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic, scoring nine goals in the group phase, before they were defeated by the United States of America in the Round of 8.

20 FLAMINGOS FOR GHANA 2024

Goalkeepers: Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens); Elizabeth Boniface (Sunshine Queens); Sylvia Echefu (Bayelsa Queens)

Defenders: Rokibat Azeez (New Generation Academy); Taiwo Adegoke (Remo Stars Ladies); Jumai Adebayo Naija Ratels); Ayomide Ibrahim (Remo Stars Ladies); Prisca Nwachukwu (Heartland Queens); Oluwatoyin Olowookere (Ekiti Queens); Oghenemairo Obruthe (Lagos City)

Midfielders: Shakirat Moshood (Bayelsa Queens); Waliat Rotimi (Nakamura Academy); Farida Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons)  

Forwards: Harmony Chidi (Imo Strikers); Peace Effiong (Rivers Angels); Mary Nkpa (Abia Angels); Aisha Animashaun (Naija Ratels); Mary Mamudu (Edo Queens); Precious Oscar (Bayelsa Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (Nasarawa Amazons)

The gaffer has drawn principally from the corp that not only reached the quarter-finals at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic some weeks ago, but also won the FIFA Fair Play Trophy of the competition. The Flamingos had lost by two goals to eventual bronze medallists USA in the quarter-finals.

Top of the list is midfielder Shakirat Moshood, who scored four goals at the tournament. First-choice goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, defenders Taiwo Adegoke, Jumai Adebayo and Prisca Nwachukwu, midfielder Farida Abdulwahab, and forwards Harmony Chidi, Peace Effiong and Janet Akekoromowei are also invited.

The Flamingos have been drawn in group B of the two-week, six-team competition, alongside the U17 girls of Cote d’Ivoire and Niger Republic. Hosts Ghana are in group A alongside the U17 girls of Burkina Faso and Benin Republic.

All invited players are expected to report at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Tuesday, 3^rd December 2024.

25 FLAMINGOS FOR CAMPING AHEAD GHANA 2024

Goalkeepers: Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens); Elizabeth Boniface (Sunshine Queens); Sylvia Echefu (Bayelsa Queens); Chiamaka Enebeli (RoyalTom FC)

Defenders: Rokibat Azeez (New Generation Academy); Taiwo Adegoke (Remo Stars Ladies); Jumai Adebayo Naija Ratels); Ayomide Ibrahim (Remo Stars Ladies); Prisca Nwachukwu (Heartland Queens); Ololade Isiaka (Abia Angels); Oluwatoyin Olowookere (Ekiti Queens); Oghenemairo Obruthe (Lagos City)

Midfielders: Saida Adebiyi (Confluence Queens); Shakirat Moshood (Bayelsa Queens); Waliat Rotimi (Nakamura Academy); Farida Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons); Fatimoh Solaty (Dannaz Ladies)

Forwards: Harmony Chidi (Imo Strikers); Peace Effiong (Rivers Angels); Mary Nkpa (Abia Angels); Blessing Ifitezue (Rivers Angels); Aisha Animashaun (Naija Ratels); Mary Mamudu (Edo Queens); Precious Oscar (Bayelsa Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (Nasarawa Amazons)

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).  

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 54^th 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.