Nigeria’s national U17 team; the Golden Eaglets fell 1-2 to Angola in the losers’ final of the 2019 Total U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Tanzania on Saturday.
Having lost to Guinea on penalties in the semi final stage, the Eaglets could not console themselves with a third place finish as they fall to a ten-man Angolan side.
Nigeria went behind in the 28th minute when tournament’s top scorer Osvaldo ‘Capita’ Capemba headed home his fourth goal of the championship after a brilliant cross by David Nzanza.
Eaglets’ number nine, Wisdom Ubani however restored parity two minutes later when he slid home his third of the competition from close range after he had latched on to Olakunle Olusegun’s difficult ball.
The Angolans went back in front four minutes after the interval when Zito Luvumbo’s ferocious effort from inside the box went into the roof of Sunday Stephen’s net before the Southern Africans were reduced to ten men six minutes later when Porfirio Abrantes received a second caution.
Manu Garba’s Eaglets however failed to make their numerical advantage count as the Angolans held on for their first ever prize at this level. The tournament’s final will hold on Sunday at the same venue; National Stadium in Dar es Salaam between Guinea and Cameroon.
All four teams that reached the semi-final stage will represent Africa at the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Brazil later this year.
