A hat-trick from George Agha and a brilliant free-kick strike by David Edeh powered Nigeria to a commanding start at the WAFU-B U-17 Championship, as the Golden Eaglets defeated the Baby Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4-1 in Yamoussoukro on Wednesday.
Agha opened the scoring from the penalty spot just three minutes into the match after Boluwatife Thompson was brought down inside the box.
Two minutes later, Edeh showcased his skill with a superbly executed free-kick to double the lead.
The Eaglets maintained full control, and Agha netted his second in the 14th minute to put Manu Garba’s side firmly in charge with a three-goal cushion.
Benin’s goalkeeper, Warris Soumanou, made a costly error in the 32nd minute, allowing Thompson and Edeh to combine beautifully before setting up Agha to complete his hat-trick.
The Baby Cheetahs pulled one back just before halftime when Jeremy Zannou’s low strike found the bottom corner in the 45th minute, serving as a consolation.