U17 AFCON: Golden Eaglets secure quarterfinal place with comeback win over South Africa

 

Nigeria sailed into the last eight of the Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Algeria with a 3-2 defeat of South Africa’s Amajimbo in an interesting encounter in Constantine on Saturday night.

 

Five-time world champions Nigeria, who pipped Zambia 1-0 in their opening match but then lost by the same margin to Morocco in their second game, fell behind as early as the 6^th minute when Amajimbo drew the first blood by converting from their very first corner kick.

 

The Eaglets had the ball in the net four minutes later but it was ruled off-side. They continued to knock as Tockukwu Ogbadibo’s shot proved too weak to trouble the opposing goalkeeper and Light Eke’s header missed target.

 

Charles Agada, who also had been knocking on the door, brought Nigeria level in the 33^rd minute when he nodded into the net from a corner kick with South Africa’s goalkeeper in no man’s land.

 

South Africa shot ahead once more but Light Eke restored Nigeria into the game two minutes after the restart.

 

Abubakar Abdullahi shot Nigeria into the lead for the first time in the match in the 63^rd minute, and it remained that way as the Eaglets finished with six points and in second place in Group B, behind Morocco who also ended with six points but with superior goals difference.   

U17 AFCON: Yahaya Lawali making us proud with back to back MOTM awards - Mahanaim Academy

 

Mahanaim Football Academy product, Yahaya Lawali, is flying high with the footballing principles learnt from the academy at the CAF U17 AFCON with two back-to-back Man of the match awards he won in the first two matches played in Algeria.

Yahaya Lawali won the MOTM award in Nigeria's 1-nil win against Zambia in the first match and also won the award again in the Golden Eaglets 1-nil loss to Morocco in the second match.

Yahaya completed 41 passes with great runs, pullouts and interceptions as a right back against Zambia and he completed 31 passes after starting as right back before moving to the midfield as the Eaglets lost to Morocco.

The CAF technical study group thus picked him as the best player in these two matches. 

Yahaya Danjuma Lawali is the vice-captain of the Golden Eaglets as the team continues to push to earn a World Cup spot in the cadet championship.

The entire team of Mahanaim have expresses delight with the exploit of one of them as they urge him not to relent in making them proud with excellent performance at the championship.