Wafu B U17 Championship: Nigeria silence Togo to reach semi-final

Nigeria secured a 3-1 victory over Togo on Tuesday evening to reach the semi-final of the 2022 Wafu B U17 competition.

Goals from Kevwe Iyede, Precious Tonye Williams, and Light Eke helped the Golden Eaglets overcome the Sparrow Hawks at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.

Buoyed by their 4-2 triumph over hosts Ghana in their first Group A fixture, Nduka Ugbade’s boys approached the game full of confidence.

Although Togo showed promise after the blast of Soro Tuonifere’s whistle, nevertheless, it was the Nigerians who took the lead after ten minutes with Iyede slotting the ball inside an empty net after goalkeeper Komlan Ignace Kiti had rushed off his line to stop Tonye Williams.

Despite their deficit, the Francophone West African team lifted their game, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances to score.

In the 22nd minute, captain Tonye Williams doubled his team’s advantage as they went into the half-time break with a two-goal cushion.

Not willing to go down without a fight, the Hawks took charge of the early part of the second half, yet, their attacking moves were checkmated by the opposing defence.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, the Togolese cadet team reduced the deficit courtesy of a Komi Martin’s free-kick sailed past a helpless goalkeeper Richard Odoh.

Nevertheless, the five-time world champions restored their two-goal lead after heading home a Yahaya Danjuma free-kick with eight minutes left on the clock.

They will now await the runners-up in Group B to determine their last-four opponents on Monday.

A place in the final would guarantee them a ticket to the 2023 African U17 Cup of Nations billed for Algeria.

There, the top four countries will represent Africa at the 2023 Fifa U17 scheduled for Peru.

Analysing his team’s chances in Cape Coast, the former Nigeria international is positive that Nigeria will be represented in the North African country.

“I am happy with the squad that we have been able to come up with, and I can say confidently that we are going to Ghana to do the nation proud,” Ugbade was quoted in an NFF statement made available to GOAL.

“Our primary objective is to earn a ticket to the Africa Cup of Nations, and then we go full throttle for the trophy. Nigeria have a pedigree in U17 football, and we cannot afford to disappoint.”