“We’ll keep getting better” — Manu Garba backs Golden Eaglets to rise in WAFU B Cup

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye

Nigeria U17 women’s head coach Manu Garba has assured that his team will only get stronger as the WAFU B U17 Championship in Côte d’Ivoire progresses, ahead of their decisive Group B clash with Burkina Faso on Saturday in Yamoussoukro.

Nigeria, five-time world champions, underlined their pedigree with a commanding 4-1 win over Benin Republic on Wednesday, scoring four times within the opening 35 minutes to lay down an early marker in the regional tournament.

Speaking at Friday’s press conference, Garba underlined his belief that the Eaglets can sustain that momentum and push for the title.

“Every team wants to win every match in a competitive tournament, and so does Nigeria. We want to try as much as possible to win every match in this competition and by winning every match, we will be champions of the WAFU-B again because that is where my team belongs,” Garba declared.

The coach, who led Nigeria to global triumph at U17 level in the past, stressed that his side will respect their opponents but are determined to build on their flying start.

“We are here to play every match according to the laws of the game, but most importantly, we want to try as much as possible to win the match against Burkina Faso,” he said.

Garba also provided an injury update on his captain, who was withdrawn after taking a heavy knock against Benin but has since recovered.

“As the tournament progresses, they will get better. In our last game, against the Beninoise, my captain was elbowed in the chest, so I had to bring him out. He has fully recovered now. I’m very optimistic that this team will get better,” he concluded.

The Eaglets are seeking qualification for the 2026 Africa U17 Cup of Nations, with the top two teams from the WAFU B tournament guaranteed spots.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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