LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Nigeria U17 men’s team the Golden Eaglets suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finalists Tanzania on Sunday July 5 in the opening game of the China Youth Invitational Tournament in Yinchuan.
The five-goal thriller marked the start of the four-nation invitational competition, with Tanzania producing a spirited performance to hand the five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup champions a narrow defeat.
The tournament serves as a key part of Nigeria’s preparations for the WAFU B U-17 Championship, scheduled for September.
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The regional tournament will determine qualification for the 2027 CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Under the guidance of head coach Uwejamomere Eboboritse, the Golden Eaglets are using the competition to build team chemistry, assess players, and fine-tune tactics ahead of the crucial qualifiers.
The 2026 China International Youth Football Tournament also features hosts China and Australia, and giving Nigeria valuable international exposure against quality opposition.
Nigeria will now shift focus to their second fixture against Australia on Wednesday, July 8, before rounding off the tournament against hosts China on Saturday, July 11.
Despite the opening setback, the Golden Eaglets still have two matches remaining to improve their performances and continue preparations for the all-important WAFU B qualifying campaign.
