WAFU B Final: Senate President surprises Golden Eaglets

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has promised to support the Golden Eaglets as they take on rivals, Ivory Coast in the finals of the WAFU B AFCON Qualifying Tournament on Monday.

The Eaglets qualified for the finals after defeating Burkina Faso in the semi-finals.

Lawan, who made this statement in an interview with NAN through his Special Adviser on Sports, Sani Fema, promised to host and reward the boys should they emerge winners of the competition.

Despite losing their opening game 1-0 against Togo, Nigeria’s U-17 boys drew their second game against Ghana.

But the Fatai Amoo-tutored lads sneaked into the semifinals after the Little Elephants slammed a 3-1 defeat on the Black Starlets, Soccernet reports.

The Nigerian boys’ never-say-die attitude has attracted the attention of the legislative arm of government.

“The National Assembly and the office of the Senate President are supporting the Golden Eaglets 100 per cent, and the team will be invited, on arrival after they must have lifted the trophy,” Lawan said.

“The team should remember that Nigeria is the most decorated under-17 football team in the world and anything short of the championship trophy will not be good for a world champion.

“In spite of not recording fantastic results in the group stage, the team was able to move into the final, that is the spirit of a champion, and I want them to exhibit that on Monday.

“They should not lower the standard during their time because football unites Nigerians.”

The Golden Eaglets are five-time world champions, having lifted the trophy in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013, and 2015.

But the Nigerians are underdogs against the Little Elephants, having fallen to the Ivorians earlier in the tournament.

Venue of the match will be Togo’s main stadium, the Stade De Kegue.