Golden Eaglets Suffer Historic Setback, Miss 2027 U-17 AFCON
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have failed to qualify for the 2027 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Morocco after being eliminated from the WAFU-B U-17 Championship without recording a victory. Their campaign ended on Saturday following a 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast at Stade du 4-Août in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, leaving the five-time world champions with just one point from two group matches.
The result left Nigeria at the bottom of Group B, behind Ivory Coast and group leaders Niger, ending their hopes of progressing in the regional competition. The failure to qualify for the continental tournament marks a major setback for the country’s youth football development, with the Golden Eaglets unable to secure the results needed to advance.
Ivory Coast took the lead in the 17th minute through Alex Bamba, who converted from a corner kick. Nigeria struggled to create clear-cut opportunities as the Ivorians maintained pressure, with the crossbar preventing them from extending their advantage in the second half. Columbus Igboenyobe eventually restored parity for Nigeria five minutes before full time, reacting quickly to a rebound to keep the Eaglets’ hopes alive.
Despite a late push for a winner, Nigeria could not find the breakthrough, as Abiodun John missed a promising opportunity and the Ivorian goalkeeper denied another effort during stoppage time. The outcome leaves the Golden Eaglets with their lowest points return in the competition and their first campaign without a win, raising fresh concerns about the team’s readiness for major youth football tournaments.
