Golden Eaglets head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere says his side are ready to recover from their defeat by Niger Republic and secure the victory they need against Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday.
Nigeria’s 1-2 loss to Niger Republic on Wednesday has made their final group match at the WAFU-B U17 Championship a must-win fixture. Cote d’Ivoire drew with the Nigeriens and will begin the encounter with one point.
Speaking at a press conference at Stade du 4 Aout in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Friday, Eboboritse called on his players to stay composed under the pressure of the situation.
“We had a setback in the game against Niger Republic, but we are in great spirit to overcome it as we play Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday,” he said.
“It is a dicey situation. We are calm and reminding the players of how we want to play. We have analysed Cote d’Ivoire, how they play, their strengths and weaknesses.”
The coach pointed to Nigeria’s experience at previous editions of the competition as evidence that the team could recover from a difficult start. The Golden Eaglets lost their opening matches at the 2018 and 2021 WAFU-B U17 Championship tournaments but went on to bounce back and qualify.
Eboboritse acknowledged that the importance of Saturday’s match would bring additional pressure, but said his squad were focused on producing the required result.
“There is just a little bit of pressure because it is a must-win game for Nigeria. So, we have to keep the players composed and believing in themselves, knowing that we can get the result we need,” he said.
“The Ivorians are a very good side. They can fight, but we also have to fight and show them how much we want the victory. We know what we have to do to beat them. I’m confident.”
The result against Niger Republic left Nigeria with no margin for error in their meeting with Cote d’Ivoire. The Ivorians’ draw in their own match against Niger Republic means they have one point before Saturday’s encounter, while the Golden Eaglets must claim victory to keep their qualification hopes alive.