Cup holders Nigeria know they must attain a different shape and be at their very best when they confront the Young Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday, if they are not to exit this year’s WAFU B U20 Championship at the group stage.
The seven-time African champions fell by a lone goal to Burkina Faso’s Young Etalons on Friday and their route to the last four has been made tougher by the Etalons’ lone-goal reverse against the Elephants two days ago.
The intricacies of a three-team group have fully come to the fore, with each team having to play only two matches, and a single loss meaning that a team could be on the way out of a tournament.
With the Ivorians and the Burkinabes tied at the top of the pile, Nigeria must win by two clear goals against the Ivorians to be sure of a place in the semi-finals, and the opportunity to keep pushing to defend her crown.
President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, who watched the Flying Eagles lose to a second-half goal on Friday, expressed hope that the team re-invents itself and delivers the goods against the Ivorians.
“I am not happy about the result. We expected a win and the three points, particularly as they are in a three-team group which can be delicate. However, I believe the coaches and the players will sit up and come up with a strategy to overcome the Ivorians.
“Nigerians are expecting so much from the team. As defending champions, it will not be good for us not to qualify for the U20 AFCON, having reached the quarter-finals at the FIFA World Cup last year.”
Thursday’s encounter at the Municipal Stadium, Lome will commence at 4pm Nigeria time.
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