Nigeria’s Future Eagles have completed the group stage of the 2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, without a defeat after securing a 2-1 victory over Cyprus and playing a 1-1 draw with Pakistan on Monday.
The Nigerian U-15 boys demonstrated their resilience in both matches, extending their unbeaten run as they await confirmation of their next phase in the inaugural competition.
In the morning encounter against Cyprus, Wisdom Oche opened the scoring for Nigeria before captain Timothy Ogar Ijachi netted the winning goal to secure a 2-1 victory.
Ijachi’s decisive contribution came after he recovered from a knock sustained during Nigeria’s 3-3 draw with The Gambia on Sunday.
The captain was again on target in the afternoon fixture against Pakistan, scoring in the 25th minute to restore parity after the Asian side had taken the lead one minute into the second half.
The contest ended 1-1, ensuring that Nigeria maintained their unbeaten record after the group-stage matches.
The Future Eagles will now await the outcome of the competition’s placement process to determine their next opponents and the level at which they will continue their campaign.
Unlike conventional FIFA tournaments, the inaugural U-15 World Cup and Festival operates a no-elimination format, allowing participating teams to continue competing beyond the initial group stage.
Nigeria will be hoping to build on their encouraging performances against Cyprus, Pakistan and The Gambia as they pursue honours at the tournament in Azerbaijan.
The team’s ability to recover from setbacks and secure important results will provide encouragement as the young Nigerian players prepare for the next stage of the competition.
