'We beat Ghana 6-1' - Manu Garba highlights the pedigree of most successful U17 team in the world 

Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba faced the cameras on Sunday night, shortly after his side recorded a hard-fought 1-0 win over neighbors Niger in their second group match at the ongoing  WAFU Zone B U17 AFCON qualifiers.

The Golden Eaglets, who played with ten men for about half an hour following the dismissal of Okorie Chibuike, secured three points thanks to Rapha Adams' first half header. 

With five titles to their name, one more than South American powerhouse Brazil, Nigeria are the most successful team in Fifa U17 World Cup history but have not won the competition since 2015, their second longest wait for an U17 title. 

Manu Garba is proud of the Golden Eaglets' achievements and emphasized that he contributed to the team winning two of their five titles.

The experienced football tactician recollected that the team he coached at the 2013 U17 Africa Cup of Nations, featuring talented players like Isaac Success, Kelechi Iheanacho, Musa Yahaya, and Chidiebere Nwakali, defeated the Black Starlets of Ghana 6-1 in their opening game.

"This match is our second international match, we didn't play any international friendlies before the tournament. Like I said earlier this team will improve as the tournament progresses," Garba said at the post-match press conference. 

"Now in football there are no minnows, you don't have to underrate or underestimate any team. Every other country is developing fast. 

"Nigeria is rated number one in the world having won the Fifa U17 World Cup five times, of which I happen to be the assistant coach in 2007, I was head coach when we won in the United Arab Emirates scoring 26 goals and conceding only five.

"I remember we beat Ghana 6-1 in the opening match of the U17 AFCON in Morocco before we qualified for UAE 2013 so every match is difficult, there are no simple matches. Even if it is a friendly, every match is difficult. "

Nigeria face Togo in their final group game on Wednesday, May 22 and are seeking to top Group B to avoid a potential meeting with Ghana in the semifinals of the WAFU Zone B Tournament. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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