WAFU B U-17: Golden Eaglets Beat Togo 3-1 to Book Semifinal Spot

Nigeria’s U-17 national team is through to the semi-final stage of the ongoing WAFU B U-17 Championship following their 3-1 victory over Togo on Tuesday.

Having started with the 4-2 hammering of hosts Ghana last weekend, the Golden Eaglets produced another sterling display on Tuesday in the regional tournament.

First-half goals from Kevwe Iyede in the 13th minute and another from Precious Williams in the 21st minute helped the Eaglets race into a two-goal lead by halftime.

Though Komi Ahouankpo pulled one back for Togo in the 75th minute, Coach Nduka Ugbade’s boys ensured they finished the tie with a two-goal margin as Light Eke made it 3-1 in the 85th minute.

With Nigeria already picking one of the semi-final slots from Group A, it will be a winner-takes-all in the final group game between hosts Ghana and Togo.

Now safely in the semi-final where they await the runners-up in Group B, Coach Ugbade is close to achieving his primary objective at the WAFU tournament.

He said: “Our primary objective is to earn a ticket to the Africa Cup of Nations, and then we go full throttle for the trophy.

“Nigeria has a pedigree in U-17 football and we cannot afford to disappoint.”

Group B comprises Cote d’Ivoire alongside Burkina Faso, Benin, and the Niger Republic.

The two finalists from the WAFU B competition will feature at the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Algeria early next year.

All four semi-finalists in that continental tournament to be played in Algeria will qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup finals later in the year in Peru.

Nigeria remains the world’s most successful team at this level with five world titles to its name.

June 15, 2022