WAFU B U17 AFCON Qualifiers: Nigeria thump Benin 4-1 in opening match
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets put up a fantastic performance on Wednesday, beating Benin 4-1 in the WAFU B U-17 Championship.
The championship, which is currently ongoing in Ivory Coast, serves as the qualifiers for next year’s U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
In their first game at the championship, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets were ruthless in the Group B clash at the Stade du Lycée Scientifique, with George Agha emerging as the star of the evening after netting a brilliant hat-trick.
Agha wasted no time in putting Nigeria ahead with a fourth-minute strike, before David Edeh doubled the advantage just two minutes later. The forward then added two more goals in the 14th and 31st minutes to complete his treble and put Manu Garba’s side firmly in control.
Benin managed to pull one back through Jeremy Zannou on the stroke of halftime, but it proved nothing more than a consolation as Nigeria maintained their dominance.
With the win, the Golden Eaglets sit top of Group B on three points, level with Burkina Faso but ahead on goal difference. They will next face the Baby Stallions on Saturday in what could be a decisive battle for group leadership.
For Benin, the defeat marked their second consecutive loss, confirming their early exit from the competition.
