Eaglets Vow to Bounce Back Against Côte d’Ivoire After Niger Defeat

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere says his team are ready to bounce back from their defeat to Niger Republic when they face Côte d’Ivoire in a must-win WAFU-B U17 Championship clash on Saturday.

The Nigerian youngsters lost 1-2 to Niger Republic on Wednesday, leaving them under pressure to secure victory against the Ivorians at Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Speaking at Friday’s pre-match press conference, Uwejamomere urged his players to remain calm and draw inspiration from previous Nigerian teams that recovered from opening-match defeats at the 2018 and 2021 editions of the competition to progress.

‘We had a setback in the game against Niger Republic, but we are in great spirit to overcome it as we play Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday,’ he said.

‘It is a dicey situation. We are calm and reminding the players of how we want to play. We have analysed Côte d’Ivoire, how they play, their strengths and weaknesses.’

The coach acknowledged the pressure on his side but expressed confidence that the Eaglets could deliver the result required to keep their campaign on track.

‘There is just a little bit of pressure because it is a must-win game for Nigeria. So, we have to keep the players composed and believing in themselves, knowing that we can get the result we need,’ he said.

‘The Ivorians are a very good side. They can fight, but we also have to fight and show them how much we want the victory. We know what we have to do to beat them. I’m confident.’

Côte d’Ivoire drew their opening match against Niger Republic and have one point, while Nigeria must win Saturday’s encounter to revive their hopes in the tournament.