The Nigerian Golden Eaglets were resoundingly checked out of the WAFU U17 tournament at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on Saturday night by the Baby Elephants of Ivory Coast by a lone goal in the second semifinal.

It was a day the Defending Champions put every foot wrong with numerous wrong passes, playing to the gallery and lack of concentration with the Ivoirians hammering Nigeria so much on the right defence flank that was porous.

Coulybaly got the only goal in the 54th minute beating but the Nigerian defence and goalkeeper neatly from the right on a night that the Nigerian Supporters Club was missing from the stands for it was unbelievable that the Ivorian team that fell 1-5 to Ghana could hold Nigeria which they could have flogged with more goals. Ivory  Coast had beaten the Super Eagles in the last AFCON finals.

So we have two Francophone countries in the WAFU U17 finals in Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso that earlier shocked Ghana by a lone goal. Ghana will have to beat Nigeria in the Loser’s Final to clinch the Bronze at home.
  
Only three teams played in group A which hosts Ghana topped and there, Ivory Coast lost grimly 1-5 to Ghana and piped Benin Republic by a lone goal. Fast thinking – the Ivorian defence is porous and the Nigerian can with the goal poachers messed them up on a good day.

General records show that Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are the best from Africa in that age category having appeared 12 times for world cup finals and clinched the title five times in 1985; 1993; 2007; 2013 and 2015. 

The Little Elephants who attended the world cup finals 4 times only got a Bronze medal in 2013 when Nigeria won the title. That year was awesome Manu Garba who is coach right now was in charge. Garba defeated Soviet Union 2-1 in the final.

Ivory Coast lost 0-1 to Soviet Union in the Semifinal when Nigeria beat Italy by a lone goal in the same semi. In the 3rd place match Ivory Coast won the Bronze by beating Italy 2-1 with a Brace from Traore at 17th and 96th minutes, Bocchialini scored for Italy 57th minute in the match handled by Canadian Antonio Evangelista before a 1,000 strong fans stand at St Johns.

But in that 2013 that Garba was in charge, Ivory Coast on 17th March 2013 beat Nigeria by a lone goal and on the 27th of same March 2013 played 1-1. Nigeria beat Ivory Coast 5-4 on penalties after 1-1 at full time on 6th September 2018. The Little Elephants knocked the Eaglets 1-0 on 6th January 2021 while on 18th January 2021 the Elephants won again 3-2. All in U17 matches.

It was Sweden that won the bronze; the Bronze; Mexico Silver and Nigeria Gold. All the three teams qualified from the same group of Alain with Nigeria topping the group, Mexico 2nd and Sweden 3rd and that was how the threeteams finished the world cup

In that competition played at the United Arab Emirate 17th October – 8 November 2013 Kelechi Ihenacho was the Best Player of the Tournament; Best Goalkeeper was Dele Alamposo of Nigeria and Nigeria won the Fair Play Trophy.

Nigeria thrashed Mexico 3-0 in the finals at Abu Dhabi with Aguirre giving Nigeria the 1st goal via Own Goal 9th minute; Ihenacho scored 2nd goal 50th minute and Muhammed scored the 3rd goal 81st minute.

Sweden defeated Argentina 4-1 to win the Bronze and the Ref was Bedara Diatta from Senegal. Nigeria beat Sweden 3-0 also in the semifinal with goals from Awoniyi 21st minute; Okon 80th Minute and Ezeh 81st minute.

Cote D’Ivoire lost to Argentina 1-2 in the quarterfinals with their only goal coming via penalty from Kessie in 78th minute. The Best of Cote D’Ivoire was Canada 1987 in July where Soviet Union beat Nigeria in the finals 4-2 on penalties after 1-1 at full time. CIV defeated Italy 2-1 After Extra Time on July 24 at St. John where Antonio Evangelista was the Ref. 

PATMOS MEDIA LINE WANTS TO STATE CLEARLY THAT OUR ERROR WAS NOT THE PRINTERS DEVIL BUT PROOF READING ERROR. THANKS TO COACH MANU GARBA FOR NOT ALLOWING HISTORICAL ERROR. 

There was a WAFU U17 Group B semifinal between both countries in 2022 and the Captain of the Eaglets who lifted the first U17 world cup in 1985 as coach; Nduka Ugbade slammed the Ivoirians 3-1. Will Manu Garba make an encore?

Nigeria has not been excellent on the African platform but appear to be global guys as their 10 times appearances at the CAF U17 tournaments fetched them two titles in 2001 and 2007. 

Ivory Coast appeared 5 times at CAF tournament finals but only won in 2013 the very year Manu Garba lifted the FIFA U17 trophy.

The Starlets of Ghana fell to the superior skill of Burkina Faso in the first semifinal 2-1 with a single player providing a Brace for Burkina Faso. The Ghanaians were devastated weeping like school boys at the final whistle and will now battle for the Bronze in the WAFU Tournament against Nigeria.
Two finalists will go to the CAF U17 final tournaments.