The Flying Eagles are now walking a very tight rope to reach the knockout rounds of the WAFU B U20 AFCON after they fell 1-0 to Burkina Faso in an opening Group B match today in Lome, Togo.
The Flying Eagles are now hard pressed to win their final group game against Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday to stand any chance of going beyond the group stage.
It was a poor display by the defending champions and they will have to step up their game against the Junior Elephants to stand any chance of qualification.
Burkina Faso will next play the Ivorians Monday in their second Group B match.
After a first half in which goalkeeper Nathanial Nwosu pulled off a big save to keep the scores even, the bigger looking Burkina Faso deservedly scored the goal that proved to be the match winner in the 56th minute.
This was the result of unrelenting pressure after the interval as Burkina Faso pinned the Flying Eagles in their own half of the pitch.
The Junior Stallions of Burkina Faso created the better chances and were the more attacking team.
The promising strike force of the Flying Eagles that was led by Arierhi Kparobo assisted by wingers Bidemi Amole and Clinton Jephta simply failed to fire so much so that the Burkina Faso goalkeeper did not have to make a save all day long.
After the Burkina Faso goal, the Flying Eagles tried to chase the game. They pumped long balls in the goal area of their bigger and taller opponents, who were only too happy to deal with some hopeful balls.
In the end, the Flying Eagles lacked the drive and motivation to salvage a result on the day.
Flying Eagles Starting XI (4-3-3) vs Burkina Faso: Nathaniel Nwosu – Kenneth Igboke, Adamu Maigari, Daniel Bameyi (Captain), Haruna Aliyu – Raphael Oyebanjo, Israel Ayuma (Suleyman Alabi 62), Nasiru Salihu (Devine Oliseh 62) – Bidemi Amole, Arierhi Kparobo, Clinton Jephta (Musa Akinfenwa 62)
