WAFU B Tournament: Golden Eaglets risk early exit after Ghana draw

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are at the risk of not qualifying for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations billed to take place later this year in Morocco.

The country’s U-17 team were on Saturday held to a 1-1 by their perennial rivals, Ghana in their final group game at the ongoing West African Football Union (WAFU) B Tournament in Lome, Togo.

Having been beaten 1-0 in their group opener on Wednesday against Cote d’ Ivoire, the Golden Eaglets needed an outright victory over the Black Stalleties to be in good stead to progress.

As hard as they tried in the first 45 minutes, the Eaglets could not breach the Ghana defence and the first half ended in a barren draw.

Luck however shone on Fatai Amoo’s boys when they were awarded a penalty kick in the 75th minute and was converted by Joseph Arumala.

Arumala is one of the sports personalities profiled by PREMIUM TIMES in a recent report to be looked at for in the year 2021.

Sadly, Nigeria’s lead lasted barely for seven minutes as the Ghana U-17 team were also awarded their own penalty after a foul in the Golden Eaglets’ box and they promptly converted to make it 1-1.

So close

Though they came close, the Eaglets failed to get the all-important goal and now they can only hope against hope to still sneak into the semi-finals.

For Nigeria to progress to the last four, the Ivorians must beat the Ghana team by at least two un-replied goals when they meet on Tuesday.

A few weeks back, Nigeria’s U-20 team, the Flying Eagles were also in this similar precarious situation and they ended up being bundled out early in the WAFU tournament.