The Golden Eaglets suffered a second successive defeat at the four-nation invitational tournament in China after losing 4-2 to Australia in the early hours of Wednesday.
Coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s side, currently rebuilding after failing to qualify for the last two editions of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-17 World Cup, remain bottom of the standings with two losses from two matches.
The five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup winners have now conceded seven goals and scored four in the tournament, following an earlier 3-2 defeat to Tanzania.
Hoping to recover from their opening setback, the Eaglets were again undone by defensive errors as Australia’s Joeys took advantage of their chances to claim victory.
The latest defeat raises further concerns over Nigeria’s defensive performances, with the team conceding seven goals in just two games despite its rich pedigree at youth level.
The Golden Eaglets will round off their campaign against hosts China on Saturday, aiming to secure their first win of the tournament.
The competition forms part of Nigeria’s preparations for this year’s WAFU B U-17 Championship in September, which serves as the qualifying tournament for next year’s U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
