Nigeria’s U-15 boys kept their hopes alive at the CAF African Schools Football Championship (WAFU-B Qualifiers) after securing a hard-fought 1–0 victory over the Benin Republic on Tuesday.
The tightly contested encounter, played over 40 minutes (20 minutes per half), saw Nigeria respond positively following their disappointing 4–1 loss to Cote d’Ivoire on Monday.
Ayomide Adeleke proved to be the hero of the day, scoring the decisive goal in the 19th minute to hand Nigeria their first win of the tournament.
The young Nigerians displayed improved cohesion and defensive discipline, ensuring they protected their narrow lead until full-time.
With the result, Nigeria now sit on three points with a goal difference of –2 and must wait anxiously for the outcome of the final group match between Benin Republic and Cote d’Ivoire later today. The qualification scenario remains tight:
Benin Republic must defeat Cote d’Ivoire to keep their own hopes alive, while Nigeria will be rooting for Cote d’Ivoire to win and prevent Benin from overtaking them in the standings.
Only two teams will advance from the group to the semi-finals, scheduled for tomorrow, making the final group fixture crucial in determining Nigeria’s fate.
The young Nigerian squad will be hoping that today’s victory serves as a turning point as they rely on a favourable result to push them into the knockout stage of the regional qualifiers.
Nigeria’s win offers renewed optimism, but their progression now depends on results beyond their control.
All eyes will be on the Benin vs. Cote d’Ivoire showdown as the WAFU-B qualifiers reach a tense climax.
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