By Anietie Akpan
Champions, Nigerian will begin their WAFU B U17 Championship title defence at this year’s edition of the competition on May 15 in Accra, Ghana.
The Golden Eaglets, five-time champions of the world, swept aside every opposition before them to achieve glory in another Ghanaian city, Kumasi two years ago.
They failed to light up the Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Algeria and were therefore ineligible to compete for another world title in Indonesia.
However, 2013 FIFA World Cup – winning coach Manu Garba having been restored to the squad as coach will lead the team against Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and Togo in Group B of the upcoming WAFU B tournament.
Their objective is to qualify for the 2025 Africa U17 Cup of Nations.
Garba will lead a technical crew that has the mandate of not only successfully defending the regional crown, but to continue to improve the squad for a great outing at the U17 AFCON and onwards to a probable sixth world title.
The Eaglets will begin their defence of the title when they confront their counterparts from Burkina Faso at the University Stadium on May 16.
Kick-off is set for 3.00 p.m. Ghana time (4.00 p.m. Nigeria time), before matches against Niger Republic on May 19 (6.00 p.m. Ghana, 7.00 p.m. Nigeria) and Togo on May 22 (4.00 p.m. Ghana, 5.00 p.m. Nigeria).
The match against Niger Republic will also hold at the University Stadium while the clash with Togo will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.
19 EAGLETS FOR WAFU B U17 CHAMPIONSHIP
Adekunle Sunday Adedigba, Sylvester Chizoba Chika, Daniel Ofonime Mendie, Destiny Samuel, Abdulwaris Yunus, Boluwatife David Ekishola, Ibrahim Damilare Abdulganiyu, Edward Oloche Ochigbo, Rapha Adams, Simon Karshe Cletus, Oreoluwa Olawale Agbenla, Okorie Marvelous Chibuike, Abdulmuiz Adeleke, John Ogwuche, Qurib Adetola, Chinedu Levi Dominic, Abdulmuiz Oluwatimilehin Oladimeji, Daniel Vowero Arierhi, Imrana Muhammad.