Nigeria U17 national team on Tuesday thrashed Côte d’Ivoire 3-1 in the semi-final of the ongoing U17 WAFU B tournament in Ghana to qualify for Algeria 2023 CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
A brace from Emmanuel Michael and a fine header by Abubakar Idris Abdullahi condemned the U17 boys of Cote d’Ivoire to a 3-1 defeat in the first semi-final of the ongoing zonal youth championship in Cape Coast, Ghana.
The Eaglets conceded first when Yan Diomande scored from the penalty spot in the very first minute after a foul in the Nigerian box when Côte d’Ivoire’s Diamande scored from a deserved penalty for the group A runners-up.
The Nigerians, however fought back after the onslaught and were rewarded on the half-hour mark when Emmanuel Michael found the range off another free-kick from the right wing to score his second goal from the free kick spot.
Thirteen minutes later, Nigeria were ahead for the first time in the encounter when Michael, again from a free kick at the edge of the box, blindsided goalkeeper Mohamed Cisse with an intelligent attempt that swept past the static wall.
The Ivorians came into the second half determined to browbeat the Eaglets with their size and stoutness, but they were pegged further back on the hour mark when Abubakar Idris Abdullahi found the net with a glancing header.
However, the Baby Elephants were reduced to 10 men after Mustapha received a red card in the 65th minute, offering numerical advantage to the Eaglets but Emmanuel Michael and Precious Tonye Williams couldn’t add more.
However, victory over the Ivorians means they will be one of the eight participating teams at next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Algeria. Nigeria’s defender and deadball prodigy Emmanuel Michael was presented with the Man-of-the-Match award, for the third consecutive match.
In Friday’s final, the Eaglets will take on the winner of the second semi final between hosts Ghana and Burkina Faso.
