Though the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria got eliminated at the quarterfinal stage of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Algeria, yet they have received a distinguished honour from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
CAF named the Golden Eaglets the “Fair Play Team” of the group stage for their sterling conduct during the first phase of the tournament.
Despite their quarterfinal defeat, the Nduka Ugbade-led team displayed exceptional discipline and sportsmanship during the group stage games.
According to Soccernet, the Eaglets secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Zambia with a solitary goal in their opening game.
Although the Nigerian lads suffered a similar 1-0 loss to Morocco in their second match, they bounced back with an impressive 3-2 triumph over South Africa in their final Group B encounter.
The five-time world champions, however, came short against Burkina Faso in the quarterfinals to miss out on a ticket to the FIFA World Cup later in the year.
However, the individual efforts of Golden Eaglets defender Yahaya Lawali did not go unnoticed.
Lawali was selected as one of the players in the CAF Best XI of the U-17 AFCON group stage, further highlighting Nigeria’s talent and performance in the competition.
As the 2023 U-17 AFCON progresses, the focus now shifts to the highly anticipated final, where Senegal will trade tackles with Morocco.
Senegal, considered the tournament favourites, defeated Nigeria’s conquerors Burkina Faso on penalties while Morocco edged Mali in a another nail-biting shootout.
All four semifinalists have already secured their spots to represent Africa at the upcoming 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup, scheduled to take place later this year.
Regardless of their elimination at quarterfinal stage, the Golden Eaglets’ exemplary conduct and individual recognition by CAF serve as a testament to their laudable performance and the values they displayed on the field.
