The West African Football Union (WAFU) B U-17 third place final between Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets and Ghana is set to take place on Tuesday evening at the University Stadium.
This clash, anticipated by fans and pundits alike, comes after both teams suffered semi-final defeats at the weekend.
Nigeria were defeated 1-0 against Côte d’Ivoire.
Ghana, on the other hand, lost 2-1 against Burkina Faso.
These defeats pushed both teams into the bronze medal match.
DAILY POST also reports that it also dashed their hopes of qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup scheduled to take place in 2025.
Now, with pride and regional dominance on the line, Nigeria and Ghana will aim to finish their WAFU U-17 zone B tournament on a high note.
They are expected to showcase their young talents and resilience on the pitch after missing out on the FIFA U-17 World Cup tickets.
Only Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina-Faso secured tickets for the U-17 World Cup after making it to the final of the WAFU U-17 zone B tournament this year.
DAILY POST reports that as Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso advance to the World Cup, Nigeria and Ghana will aim to conclude their tournament journey with a commendable performance as pride is at stake.
The kick-off time for the WAFU U-17 third-place final is 3pm.
Speaking with DAILY POST on Monday, a former TTC Football Academy coach, Emmanuel Brown, gave his verdict on the upcoming match between Nigeria and Ghana.
Brown also expressed his disappointment in both teams for failing to reach the final of the competition and securing a World Cup ticket.
“First and foremost, I was a bit disappointed that the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria did not make it to the final of the WAFU competition this year because they are the defending champions,” Brown told DAILY POST.
“At the same time, if you look at the preparation level of Manu Garba’s men prior to the tournament and also the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test issues in camp, you can agree with me that all these factors did affect the team’s preparation.
“The coach and his players did not have enough and good preparation for the tournament. So it really showed during the competition. If you see their last Group game against Togo, they missed several chances in front of goal.
“Their display against Côte d’Ivoire in the semi-final was not good enough too.”
He added, “As for the Ghanaians, to be honest, I expected them to reach the final but just like Nigeria, they did not do enough with their performance against Burkina Faso in the semifinals.
“They did not take advantage as the host nation to at least reach the final of the competition and that was why their coach [Laryea Kingston] retired after the defeat to Burkina Faso.”
When asked for his expectations for the third-place final clash between Nigeria and Ghana, Brown said: “I expect a close and thrilling encounter, full of passion and determination from both teams.
“The match will be more than just a consolation game for Nigeria and Ghana. It will be an opportunity to salvage pride and end the tournament on a positive note despite missing out on next year’s World Cup tickets.”
“It will be an open game, a 50-50 chance. Any of the teams that take their chances in front of goal will emerge winner,” he further stated.
WAFU U-17: Clash of pride as Nigeria battles Ghana for third-place after World Cup miss
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