At the Cape Coast Stadium in Ghana on Friday, the Golden Eaglets overcame the Burkina Faso Junior Etalons 2-1 to win the 2022 West African Football Union U-17 championship.
With a low shot that streamed away from goal in the eighth minute, Abubakar Abdullahi had already put the Burkina Faso defense under pressure. However, in the 22nd minute, he rose highest in the box and powerfully headed Emmanuel Michael’s precise cross into the goal for Nigeria’s opening score.
Abdullahi fluffed his lines in the 34th minute, giving the Stallions a break as he squandered a fantastic opportunity to score twice for himself and Nigeria. When Abdulrahman Ouedraogo, also with a header, equalized for Burkina Faso seven minutes later, the miss would be felt keenly.
Abdullahi scored the second goal in the first two minutes of the second half to give the Golden Eaglets a 2-1 lead.
He missed the chance to score Nigeria’s third goal and complete a hat trick 12 minutes after his second goal.
The Stallions advanced, but Nigerian goalkeeper Richard Odoh made an outstanding stop to save another expensive loss.
Five weeks after the U20 boys defeated neighbors Benin Republic in the final to win the WAFU B competition in Niger Republic, Ebube Okeke hit the crossbar from 25 yards out in the 67th minute, but there were no further goals. Nigeria now holds a second regional diadem at the youth level.
Richard Odoh, Nigeria’s goalkeeper was chosen as the game’s man of the match. The honor had been given to Emmanuel Michael in each of the three prior games against Ghana, Togo, and the Ivory Coast.
In the battle for third place, Ghana defeated Ivory Coast 3-2 thanks to a goal in extra time.
Both Ghana and Ivory Coast entered the game hoping to cap off their tournament runs on a good note after falling to Nigeria and Burkina Faso in the semi-finals.
Abdul Razak Salifu scored in the 92nd minute to secure his team’s victory when the game was level at 2-2 and headed to a penalty shootout.
Within two minutes of Ghana’s first goal, Abdul Rashid Adam had tied the score for Ivory Coast, who had taken the lead in the seventh minute.
Makhete Moustaha N’Diaye made it 2-2 after Ghana went up 2-1 in the 57th and 57th minutes.
Salifu scored the game-winning goal to end the deadlock 3-2 for the hosts in the final two minutes of regulation time.
