Golden Eaglets set to confront South Africa in last group stage match

Golden Eaglets set to confront South Africa in last group stage match

Nigeria’s U-17 men’s football team, the Golden Eaglets, will tonight confront familiar foes, South Africa, in the last match of Group B of the 2023 CAF U-17 African Football Championship.Golden Eaglets set to confront South Africa in last group stage match

The match, which will be held at Mohamed Hamlaoui Stadium, Constantine, Algeria, is expected to kick off at 8 p.m. Nigerian time.

It’s a must-win match for the Golden Eaglets if they hope to qualify for the U-17 World Cup.

The Golden Eaglets have managed to win only one match and earn three points in the group.

The team defeated Zambia 1-0 with a late goal in the first match of the group and lost to Morocco with an early goal in the second match of the group.

A minute own goal by Golden Eaglets defender Tochukwu Ogboji cost the team the second match of Group B against leaders Morocco.

Ogboji headed a cross from Moroccan right winger Abdel Maali into his own net for the only goal.

The goal, which is currently the fastest goal of the tournament, also earned the Moroccans a quarterfinal slot in the championship.

Morocco had beaten South Africa 2-0 in the first match of the group.

With only the Moroccan goalkeeper to beat in the first 20 minutes of the first half, a Golden Eaglets attacker missed an opportunity to equalize the game.

Another defensive error in the 43rd minute of the first half almost resulted in the second goal for the Moroccans, but the Golden Eaglets goalkeeper rallied to ward off the danger.

The Golden Eaglets swooped on the Moroccan opponents in the second half but could not convert any of the chances that came their way.

The Golden Eaglets now need to win their last match against South Africa to stand a chance of qualifying for the tournament and also pick up a World Cup ticket to represent Africa on the global stage.

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About the Author

Obum Akawor
A retired Senior Civil Servant and sports journalist. A Fellow, Chartered Institute of Administration, FCAI.

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