Nigeria’s campaign at the 2026 WAFU B U-17 Championship got off to a nightmare start, leaving former international defender Ifeanyi Udeze in utter shock following a 2-1 defeat to Niger Republic in their Group B opener.
The unexpected result has severely jeopardised the Golden Eaglets’ tournament hopes while sending shockwaves through the country’s football community.
The match saw Niger Republic strike first in the 20th minute when Abdoul Razaq Zada breached the Nigerian defence. As the Eaglets pushed for an equaliser late in the second half, Niger doubled their lead in the 86th minute through Abdoul Rakilou. Although Mubarak Fasiu managed to pull a goal back for Nigeria in stoppage time, the late strike proved to be little more than a consolation as Niger held firm to claim all three points.
The result propelled Niger Republic into the semifinals with four points from two matches, following their earlier 1-1 draw against Côte d’Ivoire. For Nigeria, the outcome leaves no room for error, as they now face a must-win situation against Côte d’Ivoire in their final group fixture to have any hope of advancing to the last four.
Reacting to the disappointing defeat, Udeze questioned how a nation boasting a vast pool of football talent could fall to such an opponent. “I still can’t process it; I can’t believe the Golden Eaglets lost to a team like Niger Republic,” he stated. He emphasised that given the abundance of gifted young players across the country, dropping points in this manner remains completely mind-boggling.
With their tournament lives on the line, the Golden Eaglets must deliver an immediate response in their next outing or face a humiliating early exit.
