Morocco and the West lead African cast to World Cup as record champions Nigeria fails test

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will not make their 13th appearance at the U-17 FIFA World Cup after coming short against Burkina Faso in the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday in Algeria.

Aboubacar Camara made good of a failed clearance by Nigerian defender Tochukwu Ogboji to give the Junior Stallions the lead in the last minute of the first half.

The striker doubled the score as he completed his brace ten minutes into the second half from the spot after Souleymane Alio had been felled inside the box.

Nigeria pulled one through Abubakar Abdullahi shortly after the hour-mark but that was reduced to a consolation.

In the other quarterfinals, Mali and Morocco went through after beating Congo and Algeria 3-0 as Senegal walloped South Africa 5-0.

The four semi-finalists qualify for the U-17 FIFA World Cup that will be held from November 10th to December 2nd in a yet-to-be-known country.

Nigeria is the record champion of the global showpiece after winning it five times, four ahead of Brazil.

They won it in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.

They finished second thrice in a987, 2001 and 2009.