Nigeria’s U-15 boys will attempt to revive their CAF Schools Football Championship campaign when they face Benin on Tuesday (today) in Ouagadougou, with a semifinal place still within reach despite their opening defeat to Ivory Coast.
The young Nigerians began their WAFU B zonal qualifiers with a 4–1 loss to the Ivorians on Monday, a result that immediately increased the stakes ahead of their second and final group match.
The competition, taking place at the Stade du 4 Août, features teams from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger, Ivory Coast, Benin and Nigeria in the boys’ category, with Group A comprising Burkina Faso, Ghana and Niger, while Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Benin form Group B.
Although both male and female events are taking place this week, Nigeria are only represented in the boys’ tournament.
Coach Oluwaseun Oyeniyi’s side, drawn from five secondary schools across Kaduna, Enugu, Jalingo, Ogwashi-Ukwu and Ido-Ekiti, arrived in Ouagadougou on Saturday after travelling through Lagos and Abidjan.
The 19-man squad, which includes pupils from Government Basic Education School, Government Junior Secondary School, Adaigbo Secondary School, National Grammar School and Ekiti Parapo College, settled at Hotel Splendid ahead of the opening group fixtures.
Nigeria began their campaign against Ivory Coast on Monday but struggled to contain the Ivorians’ intensity, falling to a 4–1 defeat.
The team now require a response when they line up against Benin on Tuesday (today), knowing victory will keep them in contention for a place in Wednesday’s semifinals.
The group phase concludes today, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage.
The semifinals will be played on Wednesday, followed by the third-place playoff and final on Thursday as the four-day tournament reaches its conclusion.
With the memory of their opening loss still fresh, Nigeria’s young squad will look to rediscover cohesion and purpose against a Benin side equally determined to progress. A positive result would restore momentum and boost the country’s hopes of advancing in a competition designed to showcase grassroots football across the region.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
