In the wake of Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets failing to reach the final of the WAFU-B U-17 competition, head coach Manu Garba lamented a combination of poor errors and the inability of his side to convert opportunities. The Eaglets bowed out after a 2-0 defeat to Ghana’s Black Starlets in the semi final, a loss that also cost Nigeria a ticket to the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking after the match, Garba singled out the absence of one of his key midfielders as a turning point for his team’s performance, saying it disrupted the balance and fluidity of his squad. Without their engine in midfield, Garba felt Nigeria struggled to impose themselves. He also criticised costly mistakes at critical junctures, and regretted that despite creating a number of chances they failed to make the most of them.
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Despite the setback, Garba was gracious in defeat, applauding Ghana for their clinical play and composure. He acknowledged that the Black Starlets “took their chances,” suggesting that while Nigeria were wasteful, Ghana were more efficient in execution.
Garba further used the word “unfair” in relation to the limited number of qualification slots assigned to the WAFU-B zone for the U-17 AFCON, calling for more representation.
He also remains optimistic about the future, confidently declaring that the Golden Eaglets will be “champions again” in subsequent tournaments.
In sum, Garba’s postmortem highlights systemic issues—injuries, squad depth, and finishing ruthlessness—while placing Ghana’s win into context of better execution rather than luck.
