Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets suffered a 2-1 defeat to Niger Republic in their Group B encounter at the WAFU B U-17 Boys’ Championship in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Wednesday.
The loss leaves Nigeria under pressure ahead of their final group match, with victory over Côte d’Ivoire on October 17 crucial to keeping their semi-final hopes alive.
The match, played at the Stade du 4-Août, saw Niger establish a 1-0 lead before the break.
Both teams found the net in the second half, but Niger held on to secure all three points.
The victory strengthened Niger’s position in Group B and confirmed their qualification for the semi-finals, leaving the Golden Eaglets with little room for error.
Nigeria must now defeat Côte d’Ivoire in their final group fixture to stand a chance of progressing to the last four.
Another setback could end the five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup champions’ campaign at the group stage.
Côte d’Ivoire had earlier played out a 1-1 draw with Niger Republic on Sunday, October 11, leaving the Ivorians and Nigeria facing a decisive contest in the final round of group matches.
The Golden Eaglets will need a much-improved performance against Côte d’Ivoire to keep their campaign on track, while Niger can prepare for the semi-finals following their victory over Nigeria.
Following Wednesday’s result, Niger Republic have four points, Côte d’Ivoire have one point, while Nigeria remain without a point ahead of the decisive final group fixture.
