I Can’t Understand How Golden Eaglets Lost To Niger Republic — Udeze
Retold by Oddsrama · 15 October 2026
Nigeria's Golden Eaglets have stumbled badly at the 2026 WAFU B U-17 Championship, falling 2-1 to Niger Republic in their opening Group B clash. The West Africans conceded early—Abdoul Razaq Zada broke the deadlock in the 20th minute—then saw Niger double their advantage through Abdoul Rakilou with just four minutes remaining. A late consolation from Mubarak Fasiu in stoppage time came far too late to salvage anything from the match.
Former Nigeria international Ifeanyi Udeze voiced disbelief at the result, struggling to process how a nation with Nigeria's wealth of young talent could lose to Niger Republic. Speaking on BRILA FM, Udeze emphasised that top-level academy players are scattered throughout Nigeria's football landscape, making the defeat particularly hard to swallow. The performance has raised real questions about coaching, preparation, and whether the country's youth setup is functioning at the level expected.
The loss leaves the Golden Eaglets in a precarious position. Niger, buoyed by this win and a 1-1 draw with Côte d'Ivoire earlier, have already secured semifinal qualification with four points. Nigeria now faces a must-win scenario against the Ivorians in their second group fixture if they want any hope of reaching the last four. From a betting perspective, Nigeria's collapse has shifted perceptions of their tournament credentials and will likely influence market confidence in their ability to mount a recovery. Their odds to win the championship have almost certainly lengthened, and backing them in knockout stages should carry wider margins of caution than pre-tournament assessments suggested.
Related stories
Oddsrama retells the day's football news in our own words, with full credit to the source. 18+. Play responsibly.