Rapha Adams’ goal secured Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets a 1-0 victory over Niger Republic at the ongoing WAFU Zone B Under-17 Championship in Ghana, Sportblog247.com reports.

In their second game of the tournament, held at the University of Ghana Stadium on Sunday evening, the Golden Eaglets aimed to bounce back from a disappointing draw against Burkina Faso in their opener.

Coach Manu Garba made two changes to the starting lineup in an effort to enhance the team’s attacking fluency. Nigeria dominated possession in the first half but struggled to connect midfield and attack, a challenge exacerbated by the poor condition of the pitch.

Despite this, the Golden Eaglets created several opportunities and found their breakthrough in the 31st minute when Rapha Adams capitalized on a defensive mix-up to score a close-range header, giving Nigeria a 1-0 lead.

Niger almost equalized in the 42nd minute, but Mohammed Bourdia’s strike hit the crossbar. The first half ended with Nigeria in the lead. In the second half, Niger increased their pressure, seeking an equalizer. The Golden Eaglets faced a setback when Okorie Chibuike committed a foul, resulting in his sending off.

Niger’s Mukhtar took the ensuing free-kick, but Nigeria’s goalkeeper Dominic Chinedu made a brilliant save to maintain the lead. Despite being a man down, the Golden Eaglets displayed impressive resilience, thwarting Niger’s attacks and holding on to their lead.

Nigeria now has four points from two games and needs just one point from their upcoming match against Togo on Wednesday to secure a spot in the knockout phase.