Nigeria’s Future Eagles suffer first defeat at FIFA U15 World Cup after Benin thriller

Nigeria’s Future Eagles suffered their first defeat at the 2026 FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan, losing 6-3 to Benin Republic on Wednesday despite another impressive scoring performance from captain Timothy Ogar Ijachi.

The defeat ended Nigeria’s six-match unbeaten run at the tournament, with Benin proving too strong in an encounter that produced nine goals.

Ijachi continued his outstanding individual campaign by scoring twice, taking his tally to 11 goals in the competition.

Wisdom Boniface also found the net for Nigeria, registering his second goal of the tournament.

Despite the defeat, Ijachi’s performances have been one of the major talking points of Nigeria’s campaign in Baku.

The captain has consistently delivered in front of goal, scoring in several matches as the Future Eagles progressed through their opening fixtures without losing.

Ijachi continues remarkable scoring run

Ijachi began his goal-scoring campaign in Nigeria’s opening-day 3-3 draw against South Sudan, before finding the net again in a 2-2 stalemate with Jordan on Sunday morning.

The young forward then scored twice in another entertaining encounter later that day, as Nigeria drew 3-3 with The Gambia.

His contribution proved even more decisive on Monday morning, when he scored the winning goal in the Future Eagles’ 2-1 victory over Cyprus.

Ijachi maintained his scoring form later that day, finding the net again in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Pakistan.

His ability to produce goals across successive matches established him as a key figure in the Nigerian side.

The captain was back among the goals on Wednesday morning, scoring a hat-trick as Nigeria recorded a commanding 7-0 victory over New Caledonia.

However, the evening brought a different challenge for the Future Eagles, who were unable to maintain their unbeaten record against Benin Republic.

Benin bring Nigeria’s unbeaten run to an end

Nigeria entered Wednesday’s meeting having avoided defeat in their first six matches at the FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival.

Their previous results had included several high-scoring draws, alongside victories over Cyprus and New Caledonia.

The defeat by Benin marked a setback for the Nigerian youngsters after their encouraging start to the competition.

Although Ijachi scored twice and Boniface added another goal, Nigeria conceded six times and could not prevent their opponents from securing victory.

The result also brought an end to a run in which Nigeria had demonstrated their attacking potential, with Ijachi leading the way through his consistent goal-scoring contributions.

For the captain, the brace against Benin added to an already remarkable tournament tally.

Having scored against South Sudan, Jordan, The Gambia, Cyprus and Pakistan before his hat-trick against New Caledonia, he has remained a constant threat in front of goal.

His two goals against Benin took him to 11 for the competition, underlining the importance of his contribution to Nigeria’s campaign.

Future Eagles face a setback after promising start

The loss will be a disappointment for Nigeria after six matches without defeat, particularly following their emphatic 7-0 win over New Caledonia earlier on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, the Future Eagles have continued to show attacking quality throughout the tournament, with their captain emerging as a prolific scorer.

Boniface’s goal against Benin was also his second of the competition, adding to Nigeria’s attacking contribution in a match in which their opponents ultimately came out on top.

Nigeria’s first defeat provides a different test for the young squad after a series of matches in which they had managed to avoid losing.

Their performances before Wednesday had included draws against South Sudan, Jordan, The Gambia and Pakistan, as well as victories over Cyprus and New Caledonia.

The Future Eagles will now look to respond after their unbeaten run was brought to an end, while Ijachi’s 11-goal tally remains a notable feature of Nigeria’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan.