Nigeria’s U-17 side will look to bounce back against Australia in their second fixture.
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets began their campaign at the 2026 China International Youth Football Tournament with a hard-fought 3-2 defeat to Tanzania’s Serengeti Boys in Yinchuan.
The five-goal encounter produced plenty of excitement, with Tanzania capitalising on key moments to secure victory in the opening fixture of the four-nation tournament. Despite a determined display from the Nigerian youngsters, the Golden Eaglets were unable to overturn the deficit before the final whistle.
The invitational competition forms an important part of Nigeria’s preparations for the forthcoming WAFU B U-17 Championship, where qualification for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations will be at stake. The tournament in China also offers the coaching crew an opportunity to assess the squad against quality international opposition.
Following the setback, the Golden Eaglets will quickly turn their attention to Wednesday’s encounter against Australia. Victory in that match would strengthen Nigeria’s chances of finishing the tournament on a positive note while providing valuable experience for the young squad ahead of more competitive assignments later this year.
Head coach Uwejamomere Eboboritse and his players will be encouraged by aspects of their performance despite the defeat, knowing the primary objective of the China International Youth Football Tournament is to build cohesion, improve match fitness and fine-tune tactics before the WAFU B qualifiers.
With matches against Australia and hosts China still to come, the Golden Eaglets have an opportunity to respond positively and continue their preparations as they seek to return to winning ways.