UFOAB U17: Fatai Amoo targets good start for Eaglets

Head Coach of Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, Fatai Amoo says his team is focused on getting a good result in their opening game at the UFOAB WAFU U17 Championship going on in Lome, Togo.

Five times World champions at the Under 17 level, Nigeria have been drawn in Group B of the regional tournament alongside West African rivals Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. The Eaglets will begin participation with a game against Cote dI’voire on Wednesday afternoon.

Amoo is confident his rookies can step up to the billing with bookmakers believing Nigeria are favourites to take the lead in a pool that has two-time world champions Ghana as the other contenders.

“We know what we are in for – it is not going to be a stroll. This is a fierce competition going by the calibre of opponents we have to battle right from the group stage. However, if we must qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, we have to conquer all on our way to get there.

“Our focus is to get a good result from the first game and then consolidating as the tournament progresses. We are here for business; we will not under-rate any team or think there is a team that is too tough to conquer. Our objective on Wednesday is the three points at stake and then we take things from there.”

Already, there are reports that the team are being denied chance to hold their MRI tests with over half of the team scheduled for testing in the morning of match day while their opponents Cote d’Ivoire have had theirs since about 48 hours to the game.

Wednesday’s game against the Baby Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire will kick-off at 4pm local time (same in Nigeria) with the winner almost halfway to the semi final seeing that the group only has three teams.

The two finalists of the UFOA B WAFU U17 tournament will qualify to represent the region at the 2021 U17 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Morocco later in the year.