Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets suffered a second straight defeat at the four-nation invitational tournament in China after Australia claimed a 4-2 victory on Wednesday.
The result leaves the five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup champions at the bottom of the table. Nigeria have scored four goals but conceded seven in two matches.
Australia punish Nigeria’s mistakes
Coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere hoped his team would recover from their opening 3-2 loss to Tanzania.
However, Australia took control of the game and punished Nigeria’s defensive mistakes. As a result, the Joeys secured a deserved 4-2 victory.
The latest defeat means the Golden Eaglets have now conceded seven goals in just two games. That record highlights the defensive issues the team must fix before future competitions.
Team continues rebuilding
Meanwhile, Uwejamomere is rebuilding the squad after Nigeria missed the last two editions of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Despite the poor results, the tournament gives the players valuable international experience. It also allows the coaching staff to assess the squad against strong opponents.
China clash offers fresh chance
The Golden Eaglets will now shift their focus to their final match against hosts China on Saturday.
A positive result would boost the team’s confidence before the next stage of their preparations.
Attention turns to WAFU B Championship
The China invitational tournament forms part of Nigeria’s build-up to this year’s WAFU B U-17 Championship.
The regional tournament will take place in September. It will also serve as the qualifying competition for next year’s U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Although the results have disappointed, the Golden Eaglets will hope the lessons learned in China help them improve ahead of the WAFU B Championship.
