Golden Eaglets cling WAFU cup after beating Burkina Faso 2-1

The Golden Eaglets overcame the Junior Etalons of Burkina Faso 2-1 on Friday to win the 2022 West African Football Union U-17 championship at Ghana’s Cape Coast Stadium.

Abubakar Abdullahi had harassed the Burkinabe defense as early as the eighth minute, but in the 22nd minute, he rose highest in the area to firmly tip Emmanuel Michael’s exquisite pass into the net for Nigeria’s first goal.

Abdullahi had a fantastic opportunity to make it two for himself and Nigeria in the 34th minute, but he fluttered his lines, giving the Stallions a reprieve. Burkina Faso equalized seven minutes later, with Abdulramane Ouedraogo also scoring with a header.

2 minutes Man-of-the-Match. His countryman Emmanuel Michael had previously won the award in all three prior matches against Ghana, Togo, and Ivory Coast.

In the third-place match, an injury-time goal secured Ghana a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Ivory Coast.

After losing to Nigeria and Burkina Faso in the semi-finals, Ghana and Ivory Coast went into the game hoping to finish the tournament on a strong note.

With the game knotted at 2-2 and going to a penalty shootout, Abdul Razak Salifu scored in the 92nd minute to give his team the victory.

Ivory Coast took the lead in the seventh minute, but Abdul Rashid Adam equalized for Ghana barely two minutes later.
Ghana then went 2-1 up in the 57th minute before Makhete Moustaha N’Diaye made it 2-2 on 72 minutes.

And in two minutes of additional time, Salifu emerged as the savior, scoring the goal to give the hosts a 3-2 victory.