Afrigather Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are out of the 2023 CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations after dropping 2-1 to Burkina Faso in a quarterfinal conflict performed on the Nelson Mandela Stadium on Thursday evening.
Regardless of solely ending second in Group B, the Golden Eaglets have been the slight favourites over a Burkina Faso aspect they defeated 2-1 within the remaining of the WAFU B regional championship a number of months in the past.
And true to kind, the coach Nduka Ugbade-tutored aspect began the night on the entrance foot.
Nigeria have been the extra dominant of the 2 groups early on, they usually may have been three nil up inside the opening twenty minutes.
However Abubakar Abdullahi noticed his beautiful effort rebound off the crossbar after a very good crew transfer left their opponents ball-watching.
Burkina Faso’s goalkeeper Isidore Traoré then made a superb save off a effective Charles Agada shot earlier than the submit denied Abdullahi after his sidefooted end had overwhelmed the goalkeeper.
The Eaglets ceded a little bit of the sport’s management on the midway mark of the primary half permitting Burkina Faso to develop into the encounter with ahead Aboubacar Sidiki Camara trying harmful each time he received on the ball.
With the Nigerian lads turning into extra sloppy in possession, the probabilities started to open up for his or her West African rivals, and it took the mix of goalkeeper Richard Odoh and an off-the-line clearance from Jeremiah Olaleke to maintain the scores degree.
However on the stroke of halftime, Burkina Faso grabbed the opening aim that their trade and bravado deserved as younger ahead Camara stabbed house from shut vary following a comedy of errors and miskicks from a number of Nigerian gamers.
The evening received worse for Nigeria after Camara claimed his brace from the penalty spot following a slipshod sort out from Ogboji 12 minutes into the second half.
Abdullahi gave the Golden Eaglets a spark of hope within the 67th minute after he halved his aspect’s deficit following good work from substitute Daniel.
However the five-time world champions couldn’t discover the essential equaliser earlier than the ultimate whistle.
The defeat means Nigeria is not going to take part on the FIFA U17 World Cup later this yr. Burkina Faso, however, head to the semifinals of the AFCON, the place they’ll play high-flying Senegal.
