Kick off: 3pm
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will be gunning for their second win at the African U17 Championship in Niger on Wednesday when they face their Guinean counterparts.
It is a straight battle for one of the semifinal tickets in Group A after both teams won their opening games – Nigeria beat hosts Niger 2-0, while Guinea beat Zambia 1-0 in what was considered a much better display than what the Eaglets showed.
Both teams have met twice in this competition in 1995 when Nigeria won 2-1 in a group game and drew 2-2 in another group game in 2001.
They were billed to clash in the final in 2001, but Guinea were disqualified due to a FIFA ban on them for government interference in football running and replaced by Burkina Faso, who Nigeria thrashed 3-0.
Guineans best shot in this competition was reaching the 2001 final and winning bronze medal in 1995 edition.
The top-of-the-table clash at the Stade General Seyni Kountche starts at 3pm and the winner will automatically become the first African flag bearers at the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals in Chile later in the year.
NFF director of competitions, Mohammed Sanusi, who is in Niamey with the team, said a victory is non-negotiable as Nigeria look to book an early ticket to the finals in Chile to go and defend the world title.
“We are the champions of the world, and that we must underscore boldly here. The Eaglets did well to win their first match against the host nation despite all the odds against them. There is no way Guinea will stand up to our boys on Wednesday.
“The NFF have provided everything the team need to succeed and we expect nothing but victory against the Guineans.”
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