Nigeria's Golden Eaglets head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to recover from their defeat to Niger Republic and secure a crucial victory against Côte d’Ivoire in the ongoing WAFU-B U17 Championship.

Speaking at a press conference at Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Friday, Uwejamomere urged his players to remain calm and believe in themselves ahead of Saturday’s decisive encounter.

The Nigerian youngsters suffered a 1-2 defeat to Niger Republic on Wednesday, leaving them with no margin for error against the Ivorians as they seek to keep their qualification hopes alive.

However, Uwejamomere drew encouragement from Nigeria’s previous experiences at the tournament, recalling that the Golden Eaglets lost their opening matches at the 2018 and 2021 editions before recovering to secure qualification.

“We had a setback in the game against Niger Republic, but we are in great spirit to overcome it as we play Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday,” he said.

“It is a dicey situation. We are calm and reminding the players of how we want to play. We have analysed Côte d’Ivoire, how they play, their strengths and weaknesses.”

Acknowledging the pressure surrounding the encounter, the coach stressed the importance of keeping his players composed and focused on delivering the required result.

“There is just a little bit of pressure because it is a must-win game for Nigeria. So, we have to keep the players composed and believing in themselves, knowing that we can get the result we need.

“The Ivorians are a very good side. They can fight, but we also have to fight and show them how much we want the victory. We know what we have to do to beat them. I’m confident,” he added.

Côte d’Ivoire head into Saturday’s fixture with one point after drawing their opening match against Niger Republic, while Nigeria are looking to recover from their opening-day disappointment.

The Golden Eaglets must therefore deliver a victory against the Ivorians to strengthen their chances of progressing in the competition, with Uwejamomere banking on tactical preparation, composure and determination to guide his team back to winning ways.