WAFU U-17: Golden Eaglets Beat Ghana In Five-Goal Thriller

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets earned a place at the 2024 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations after beating hosts Ghana 3-2 in their third-place match on Tuesday.

The Eaglets took the lead in the ninth minute when Imrana Muhammad lashed the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble.

Ghana equalized 10 minutes later when a Nigerian defender unwittingly put the ball into his own net

Three-time world champions Ghana took the lead for the first time in the game in the 27th minute when Harve Gbafa profited from a defensive blunder to beat goalkeeper Dominic Chinedu in goal for Nigeria.

Six minutes later, Abdulmuiz Adeleke, who got a brace in the Eaglets’ 3-0 defeat of Togo in their final group phase match, rattled Starlets’ goalkeeper Michael Armah, but the ball was cleared out of danger.

The Eaglets were unrelenting, and four minutes before half-time, Adeleke took his tournament tally to three when he nodded in the equalizer from a pull-out by John Ogwuche.

Both teams started the second period where they left off at half time, with delightful attacking football. Ogwuche’s rebound missed the target in the 79th minute.

In the second minute of added time, and with both teams appearing to be thinking of the inevitable penalty shootout, Adeleke took matters into his own hands and netted the winner for Nigeria to secure a place at next year’s continental finals.