Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba said his wards will do everything possible to ensure victory in tomorrow’s bronze medal match against hosts Ghana at the WAFU B U17 tournament in Accra.
Nigeria and Ghana fell respectively to Cote d’Ivoire (1-0) and Burkina Faso (2-1) in their semi-finals ties on Saturday and automatically missed the chance to seal tickets to the forthcoming CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
But with words rife that CAF may increase the number of teams for the continental cadet tourney, Garba said the Golden Eaglets will press for a win even as he deplored the team’s missed chances in Saturday’s loss to the Baby Elephants.
“We lost gallantly to Cote d’Ivoire but it was a game we should have won if we had converted some of the chances created, Garba told NationSports.“
With possibility of a lifeline to next year’s U17 AFCON through a third place finish following the expansion of the FIFA U17 World Cup, Garba admitted there will be plenty to play for against Ghana tomorrow.
“We are going to play host Ghana for a third place finish,” Garba further said.“ The number of teams to qualify still depends on what CAF will say since Africa is to present about nine or ten teams in the next World Cup and 48 countries are to participate.”
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Two years ago, only the two finalists qualified for the U17 AFCON, but with the expansion of the FIFA U17 World Cup more African teams are guaranteed spots in the tournament.
Golden Eaglets’ media officer, Francis Achi has hinted that winners of the bronze madam game could still quality for the U17 AFCON.
“It is likely that three teams will qualify from WAFU Zone B for the U17 AFCON,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).“There is still all to play for in the third-place game against Ghana.”
The Black Starlets would be without their head coach in tomorrow’s decider following coach Laryea Kingston’s resignation after they fell 2-1 to Burkina Faso in their semifinal on Saturday.
Officials said that for Tuesday’s third-place match, which could produce another qualifier for the U17 AFCON, the team’s assistant coaches supported by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) technical director will take charge.
