Nigeria’s Under 17 national team, the Golden Eaglets, has been knocked out of the ongoing Under 17 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Algeria.

The team suffered a 1-2 defeat against Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals held at the Nelson Mandela Stadium on Thursday.

The loss means that Nigeria will not be able to secure a spot in the 2023 FIFA Under 17 World Cup scheduled for November, as they failed to advance to the tournament’s semi-finals during AFCON.

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During the match, Burkina Faso’s Aboubacar Camara capitalized on a defensive error by Tochukwu Ogbiji to score the opening goal at the 45th minute.

Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Richard Odoh, made an attempt to block the ball but couldn’t generate enough power, resulting in the ball falling into the penalty area where Camara took advantage.

Later in the game, Ogbiji was penalized for fouling Lassina Traore in the 18-yard box, leading to a penalty kick for Burkina Faso at the 57th minute. Camara successfully converted the penalty, extending his team’s lead.

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Nigeria managed to respond ten minutes later with a tap-in goal by Abubakar Abdullahi, reducing the goal deficit for the home team. However, their efforts fell short, and the game ended in favor of Burkina Faso.

In the meantime, Morocco, Mali, Senegal, and Burkina Faso have secured their spots in this year’s U-17 World Cup.