Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets forced to train on unsuitable pitch before Niger opener

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets were made to complete their final training session before the WAFU-B U17 Championship opener on a termite-infested five-a-side pitch in Ouagadougou on Tuesday evening.

The team had been expected to prepare at the USFA football pitch in the Burkina Faso capital. However, when the Nigerian delegation arrived, it found that USFA, which owns the facility, had arranged a friendly match for the same time as the Eaglets’ scheduled session.

The Nigerian U17 team was then directed to an adjacent five-a-side pitch beside the main ground. Its playing surface was in poor condition and was considered unsuitable for preparations ahead of a competitive international tournament.

The change of venue left the Eaglets without access to the standard football pitch they had been allocated for their final workout before facing Niger Republic.

Paul Okwudolor, manager of Nigeria’s U17 national team, tried to contact the organisers of the Championship to seek a resolution. However, his efforts had still been unsuccessful when this report was filed.

The players were unhappy with the circumstances, but Nigeria’s technical crew and squad have decided to put the incident aside and concentrate on Wednesday’s meeting with their counterparts from Niger Republic.

Nigeria are five-time world champions at this age-group level. They must first negotiate a group-stage campaign against Niger Republic and Cote d’Ivoire before they can reach the knockout rounds of the WAFU-B U17 Championship.

The competition also serves as a qualifying tournament for next year’s U17 Africa Cup of Nations.