Match preview: Nigeria face Zambia in U17 AFCON Group B opener

The 2023 CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations continues tonight as the two-time champions, Nigeria's Golden Eaglets, take on Zambia in their opening Group B game.

The match will be played at the Stade Mohamed-Hamlaoui in Constantine, Algeria, and will see the Nigerian lads hoping to start their campaign on a high note.

Although Nigeria have a perfect winning record against Zambia at this level, the Golden Eaglets' head Coach, Nduka Ugbade, is not underestimating the Junior Chipolopolo.

The Nigerians arrived in Constantine on Tuesday night, having conducted MRI tests on all 26 players in Algiers following their arrival from Egypt. They have been preparing for the tournament and winning most of their matches against local clubs and academies.

Zambia have also shown resilience in their friendlies, with their only loss coming against Zambian top-flight club Napsa Stars. They bounced back impressively by defeating hosts Algeria 4-2 in a friendly match played in Algiers after posting a similar result over Senegal.

The match is expected to be a closely contested one, with Nigeria's experience and track record in the competition giving them an edge over Zambia. However, the Chipolopolo will be eager to cause an upset and demonstrate that they are no pushovers.

The prediction for the match is a 3-1 win for Nigeria's Golden Eaglets.