Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets began their 2025 WAFU-B U17 Championship campaign in emphatic fashion, brushing aside Benin Republic’s Baby Cheetahs 4–1 on Wednesday at the Stade du Lycée Scientifique, Yamoussoukro.

Manu Garba’s boys were electric from the start, racing into a three-goal lead inside 15 minutes. Winger Boluwatife Thompson proved a constant menace, first winning a penalty calmly converted by George Agha before earning the free-kick that David Edeh curled home brilliantly. Minutes later, Agha doubled his tally after a slick team move from the back.

The Eaglets kept their foot on the pedal, with Thompson again at the heart of the action. On 31 minutes, he dispossessed Benin’s goalkeeper near the corner flag, laid off to Edeh, who unselfishly squared for Agha to tap in his third, the tournament’s first hat-trick and Nigeria’s fourth goal of the game.

Benin, stunned by the blistering onslaught, reshuffled under coach Ibrahim Da Silva. Their response came just before halftime when skipper Jeremy Zannou converted Raphael Fatouzoun’s cutback to reduce the deficit.

The second half saw Nigeria control proceedings with less urgency, already assured of victory. Captain Edeh and Famous Umole were withdrawn for Ahmed Yusuf and Wisdom Innocent as Garba rotated his squad. Despite Benin’s spirited chase, they failed to trouble the Eaglets, who closed out a comfortable win.

Nigeria have secured their place in the semifinals and will face Burkina Faso on Saturday to decide who tops the group.

The WAFU-B U17 Championship doubles as qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, with teams required to first earn passage through next year’s CAF U-17 AFCON.