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Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have vowed to recover from their opening defeat to Niger Republic when they face Côte d’Ivoire in a crucial WAFU-B U17 Championship encounter on Saturday in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere expressed confidence that his players could overcome the disappointment of their 2-1 loss to Nigeriens and secure the victory required to keep their campaign on track.
Speaking at a press conference at Stade du 4 Août on Friday, Uwejamomere acknowledged the pressure surrounding the encounter but insisted that the team remained in good spirits and was focused on delivering a positive result. Blueprint reports
The defeat to Niger Republic on Wednesday has left Nigeria with little room for error, making Saturday’s meeting with Côte d’Ivoire a must-win encounter for the young Nigerians.
The Ivorians, meanwhile, drew their opening match against Niger Republic and have one point ahead of the decisive meeting with the Eaglets.
Coach urges players to remain composed
Uwejamomere said the technical crew had encouraged the players to remain calm and maintain confidence in their ability, despite the disappointment of their opening result.
He explained that the team had reviewed its performance against Niger Republic and analysed Côte d’Ivoire’s playing style, strengths and weaknesses in preparation for the encounter.
“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,” the coach said.
He admitted that the pressure was understandable given the importance of the fixture, but stressed that composure and belief would be essential to Nigeria’s chances.
“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 added.
The coach also acknowledged the quality of the Ivorian team, noting that Nigeria would need to match their opponents’ determination and intensity to secure all three points.
“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,” Uwejamomere said.
He maintained that the technical crew had identified the areas Nigeria needed to exploit and expressed confidence that the team could produce the required performance.
Previous setbacks offer encouragement
To strengthen his players’ belief, Uwejamomere recalled Nigeria’s experiences at previous editions of the WAFU-B U17 Championship, where the Eaglets lost their opening matches in 2018 and 2021 but recovered to qualify.
The coach’s message is that an early defeat does not necessarily determine the outcome of a tournament, provided the team responds positively in subsequent matches.
However, Saturday’s fixture presents a demanding test for the young Nigerians, who must translate their preparations into a disciplined performance against an Ivorian side also seeking a positive result.
Nigeria will need to improve on the performance that resulted in the 2-1 defeat to Niger Republic, particularly in the areas that allowed their opponents to secure victory.
With qualification at stake, the Eaglets will also have to manage the psychological pressure of playing a match in which anything short of victory could seriously undermine their ambitions.
Côte d’Ivoire stand in Nigeria’s way
Côte d’Ivoire enter the encounter with one point after drawing against Niger Republic. The result leaves the Ivorians in a position where a victory over Nigeria could strengthen their own qualification prospects.
For Nigeria, the equation is straightforward: the team must win to recover from its opening loss and maintain a realistic chance of progressing in the competition.
The encounter is therefore expected to be fiercely contested, with both sides aware of the consequences of the result.
Uwejamomere said the Eaglets understood what was required and had prepared for the challenge, expressing confidence that his players could rise to the occasion.
The Golden Eaglets will now look to turn that confidence into a decisive performance when they take on Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday, hoping to put their defeat to Niger Republic behind them and revive Nigeria’s campaign in the WAFU-B U17 Championship.
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