AFCON U-17 Ticket: Nigeria Beat Burkina Faso 1-0

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  • Set to confront Cote d’Ivoire in final match

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have qualified for the 2021 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations tournament slated for Morocco after securing a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in the Under-17 West African Football Union (WAFU) B semi-finals on Friday.

The Eaglets clinched one of the tickets for the age-grade continental tournament after edging past the young Stallions

Michael Emmanuel Papo scored the only goal that sent the Eaglets to the regional tournament final being hosted by Togo.

Nigeria started the competition unimpressively after losing 1-0 against Cote d’Ivoire in their opening Group B match, with Charles Mezia scoring the solitary goal.

The Coach Fatai Amoo’s boys then played out a 1-1 draw against Ghana which almost ended their campaign in the tournament but managed to reach the semi-finals after the Black Starlets lost to the young Elephants.

Amoo then named a strong squad for the encounter against Burkina Faso in their quest to secure victory. Destiny Emuwahem started in goal for Nigeria while Victor Udoh, Joseph Kuteyi, Chukwuemeka Egbu, Peter Asuquo and Papo were also handed starting roles.

In a match that both sides aimed to outwit each other, their efforts failed to yield results as the first half ended goalless.

However, Papo broke the deadlock in the 77th minute, firing home his effort from close range. The lone strike was all Nigeria required to seal their place in the tournament final and also qualify for the 2021 Under-17 AFCON in Morocco.

With this victory, Nigeria is schedule to confront Cote d’Ivoire in the final scheduled for January 18 in Lome after the young Elephants defeated Niger in the other semi-finals on Friday.

The Golden Eaglets finished fourth at the 2019 Under-17 AFCON in Tanzania to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil.

Under the guidance of Coach Manu Garba, the Eaglets were eliminated at the competition’s round of 16 after losing against the Netherlands.

Nigeria leads on the FIFA’s all time chart having won the Under-17 World Cup five times, making the West African country the most successful team at the global age-grade tournament. – Goal.com

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