Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets secured a 0-0 draw against Burkina Faso in their opening Group B match at the 2024 WAFU B U-17 qualifiers in Ghana on Thursday, May 16, 2024.
Head coach Manu Garba deployed a 4-3-3 formation, with Dominic Chinedu in goal. The defensive lineup included Sylvester Chika, Daniel Mende, Waris Yunus, and Boluwatife Ekishola. In midfield, team captain Simon Cletus was joined by Destiny Samuel and Abdulmuiz Oladimeji, while Rapha Adam spearheaded the attack, flanked by Imrana Muhammad and Ibrahim Abdulganiyu.
The match was tightly contested, with the Golden Eaglets creating their only first-half chance in the 24th minute when Cletus’s incisive pass found Oladimeji, who unfortunately missed the target. Both teams struggled to generate clear scoring opportunities in the first 45 minutes.
The second half saw a more aggressive approach from Garba’s side. Burkina Faso had the first notable chance after the break from a set piece just outside the box, but they failed to capitalize. Nigeria responded in the 58th minute with a promising build-up play, yet Muhammad’s shot did not find the target.
The Eaglets’ best opportunity came in the 65th minute when captain Cletus broke through on goal but shot wide. Burkina Faso nearly took advantage of Nigeria’s missed chances, but Ekishola made a crucial block in the 71st minute to keep the score level.
In the 89th minute, Nigeria came close to breaking the deadlock when a defensive error in Burkina Faso’s box led to the Eaglets hitting the crossbar.
Looking ahead, the Golden Eaglets aim to secure their first victory of the tournament in their next match against Niger on Sunday.
