WAFU B U17 Championship: Manu Excited as CAF Gives Nigeria Clean Bill

The Confederation of African Football on Tuesday declared that all 20 players presented by Nigeria for the WAFU B U17 Championship starting in Accra, Ghana on Wednesday have passed the examination in flying colours.

It’s always reassuring for the coaches and players to know that they have a full squad ready to compete hence the declaration of eligibility of all the 20 players is testimony that the tests conducted on the players by the Nigeria Football Federation before the team’s departure were perfect and sets the tone for the country to have a full squad to defend the title she won last year, also in Ghana.

Having all 20 players pass the eligibility tests with flying colors not only showcases the players’ readiness but also reflects positively on the meticulous preparation by the Nigeria Football Federation.

Head Coach Manu Garba’s joy is understandable; having a full squad for such an important tournament surely boosts their confidence and sets a strong foundation for defending their title.

He said: “We are happy about the results. Having the whole squad to prosecute the tournament somewhat puts our minds at rest.

“The players have been responding to training. The weather is similar to what we experienced in Abuja before our departure. Our primary objective is to get one of the two tickets from here to the Africa U17 Cup of Nations. We will focus on the matches one at a time. For now, we are focused on our opening game against Burkina Faso on Thursday.”

The Eaglets begin their defence of the title when they confront their counterparts from Burkina Faso at the University Stadium on Thursday, 16th May with kick-off set for 3pm Ghana time (4pm Nigeria time), before matches against Niger Republic on Sunday, 19th May (6pm Ghana, 7pm Nigeria) and Togo on Wednesday, 22nd May (4pm Ghana, 5pm Nigeria).

The match against Niger Republic will also hold at the University Stadium while the clash with Togo will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.