NIGERIA’S Golden Eaglets will start their journey towards another U-17 Africa Cup of Nations trophy with an encounter against Zambia in Constantine, Algeria on Sunday.
The Eaglets have won the world title in the age group five times but have only triumphed at the African level twice since the qualifying campaign transformed into tournament format.
They won it in Seychelles in 2001 and in Togo in 2007.
Incidentally, whenever the Golden Eaglets have won the African tournament, they have gone on to reach the global final, claiming World Cup silver in 2001 and the trophy in 2007.
The Nigerian teenagers landed in Constantine on Tuesday night, after MRI tests conducted on the 26 players in Algiers following their arrival in the North African country from Egypt.
Nigeria have won the world titles in 1985 (China) when current coach Nduka Ugbade was captain, 1993 (Japan), 2007 (Korea Republic), 2013 (United Arab Emirates) and 2015 (Chile), and will hope another title in Algeria will propel them to more global glory.
The last time the Golden Eaglets met Zambia at this level was in 2015 in Niger Republic, when Nigeria won 3-1 in Niamey with two of the goals from Victor Osimhen, who would go on to become the record goalscorer at a single edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup (with 10 goals) as Nigeria won a fifth global title in Chile later that year.
Interestingly, Zambia’s goal was scored by Leicester City striker Patson Daka, who went on to shine at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations hosted and won by his country two years later.
In Algeria, the Eaglets will also battle Morocco and South Africa in Group B for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Hosts Algeria will face Senegal, Congo and Somalia in Group A, while Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso and South Sudan make up Group C.
The four semi-finalists at the tournament will represent Africa at this year’s FIFA U17 World Cup.
