April 30, (THEWILL) – Nigeria has made a positive start in the TotalEnergies Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Algeria 2023, with a 1-0 victory over Zambia.
Favour Daniel’s second-half goal secured the victory for the Golden Eaglets, who now sit on top of Group B after their opening match. Despite a missed penalty from Light Eke, Nigeria managed to hold on to their slim advantage.
Both teams played well in the contest, with Nigeria creating more chances to score than their opponents but missing that clinical touch. Abubakar Abdullahi and Tochukwu Ogbabido had opportunities to break the deadlock but were denied by the offside flag and the crossbar, respectively. Zambia’s Emmanuel Mwanza also saw his effort hit the crossbar.
In the second half, Zambia improved and had more possession, but it was Nigeria, who found the back of the net. Daniel scored the decisive goal in the 85th minute, and despite a late challenge from Zambia, Nigeria held on for the win.
The Golden Eaglets will face Morocco in their next match, while Zambia will play South Africa in a COSAFA derby.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
