Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets continued their preparations for the 2026 WAFU-B U17 Championship with two contrasting friendly matches in Abuja.
The five-time FIFA U17 World Cup champions defeated Simonben Academy 4-0 before being held to a goalless draw by Galadima FC later on the same day.
The matches provided head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere with another opportunity to assess his players as Nigeria builds towards the regional championship in Burkina Faso.
The first friendly against Simonben Academy ended in a convincing 4-0 victory for the Eaglets at the FIFA Goal Project pitch inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Nigeria dominated much of the first half but could only find the net once before the interval.
The Eaglets created several other opportunities but were unable to convert them, leaving the Kaduna-based academy within touching distance at half-time.
The second half was a different story, Uwejamomere’s side increased the pressure and eventually broke down Simonben Academy’s resistance, scoring three more goals to complete a 4-0 victory.
Later that evening, the Golden Eaglets returned to the same venue for another friendly against Abuja-based Galadima FC.
This time, Nigeria found goals much harder to come by, Galadima FC proved difficult to break down, frustrating the Eaglets throughout the encounter as the match ended 0-0.
The result gave Uwejamomere another valuable opportunity to identify areas that require improvement before the competitive action begins.
For an age-grade national team, preparation matches are about more than the final score.
The Golden Eaglets are still being shaped into a team capable of competing at regional and continental level.
The 4-0 victory showed the team’s attacking potential, particularly after the break.
The goalless draw, meanwhile, highlighted the importance of improving the team’s ability to break down organised defensive opponents.
Those lessons could become valuable once Nigeria faces competitive opposition at the WAFU-B tournament.
Uwejamomere was appointed to lead the new Golden Eaglets setup with an ambitious objective.
The coach is expected to build a team capable of qualifying for the FIFA U17 World Cup while also challenging for another continental title.
Nigeria’s history at this level makes expectations particularly high.
The Golden Eaglets have won the FIFA U17 World Cup five times, making Nigeria one of the most successful nations in the history of the competition.
The current generation will therefore be expected to uphold a tradition that has produced some of the country’s biggest football stars.
The WAFU-B U17 Championship will be played in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from October 4 to October 17, 2026.
The competition represents an important stage in Nigeria’s qualification journey towards the next Africa U17 Cup of Nations.
For the Golden Eaglets, success in the regional tournament will be crucial if they are to continue their path towards the continental championship and ultimately the FIFA U17 World Cup.
The two Abuja friendlies produced different results, but both served a purpose.
The 4-0 victory over Simonben Academy will provide confidence within the squad, while the goalless draw against Galadima FC will remind the coaching staff that there is still work to be done.
The coming weeks will be about turning those lessons into improvements.
Nigeria will need to become more clinical in front of goal, more consistent across 90 minutes and better equipped to deal with teams that sit deep.
The Golden Eaglets have traditionally been one of Nigeria’s strongest youth teams.
Their success at the FIFA U17 World Cup has created a reputation that every new generation must try to maintain.
For Uwejamomere and his players, the immediate objective is to qualify through the WAFU-B route.
But the bigger ambition is clear: build a team capable of competing with the best young sides in Africa and restoring Nigeria’s presence on the global U17 stage.
The Abuja friendlies are another step towards that goal, there is still plenty of work ahead, but with the WAFU-B Championship less than two months away, the Golden Eaglets are steadily moving closer to their first major test.
