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Nigeria’s Adeleke, Oraro and Odinaka named in WAFU B Tournament Best XI
Three Nigeria U20 players have been selected in the official Best XI from the recently concluded WAFU B Tournament in Cote d’Ivoire, according to OwnGoalNigeria.com.
The players included in the tournament team are forward Abdulmuiz Adeleke, midfielder Lucky Oraro and centre-back Alfred Odinaka. Adeleke was recognised after finishing as the tournament’s highest goalscorer, while Oraro and Odinaka were also judged among the leading performers in their respective positions.
Their selection provides some recognition for Nigeria’s players despite the team’s disappointing outcome in the final. Nigeria were beaten 4-1 by Burkina Faso, who won the tournament and claimed the title.
The final defeat also meant Nigeria missed out on qualification for the U20 AFCON, which will be hosted by Ghana. The result ended the team’s hopes of progressing to the continental competition, but three members of the squad were still included in the official selection made by the tournament’s technical study group.
Adeleke leads the Best XI after his goalscoring contribution throughout the competition. He is joined in the selected side by Oraro and Odinaka, giving Nigeria three representatives in the final tournament line-up.
The Nigerian trio are part of a team made up of players from four countries. Burkina Faso, the tournament champions, provide five players, while Cote d’Ivoire have two representatives. Niger Republic contribute one player, completing the Best XI alongside the three selected Nigeria U20 players.
The official team was published after the conclusion of the WAFU B Tournament and reflects the assessment of the competition’s technical study group. Its selection of Adeleke, Oraro and Odinaka means that Nigeria’s presence in the tournament’s final individual honours extends beyond the result of the final itself.
Nigeria’s heavy loss to Burkina Faso remains the defining result of their campaign, particularly because it denied them a place at the U20 AFCON in Ghana. However, the inclusion of Adeleke, Oraro and Odinaka indicates that the Nigerian side contained players who made a strong enough impression to be recognised among the best performers in the tournament.
The selection of Adeleke is particularly notable because he finished as the competition’s leading scorer. Oraro’s inclusion acknowledges the midfielder’s contribution, while Odinaka was chosen in the centre-back position.
Together, the three players represent Nigeria in the official Best XI, which is led by the tournament’s top goalscorer and includes the strongest representation from Burkina Faso. The final list was drawn up by the technical study group following the tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.
