(From Veronica Commey, GNA Special Correspondent in Lome Togo, Courtesy Ministry of Education, Science and Sports)

Lome, March 15, GNA - Nigerian coach, Ayidele Telle has fired the first salvo ahead of his side's meeting with Ghana Black Starlets at the ongoing African U-17 Championship scheduled for Saturday. The Coach told the GNA Sports immediately after his team's 2-1 win over Burkina Faso that 93we will beat Ghana" just after their victory made them the first to qualify to the next stage of the competition. Though Nigerians might have laboured to beat the Burkinabes, coach Telle insists beating Ghana soundly in the last Group B game is a must for his side.

"The boys made a lot of mistakes today but we managed to win all the same and I'm more than convinced that we will defeat Ghana on Saturday".

Coach Telle claimed his side is near excellent and will cut Ghana to size regardless of the level of opposition the Starlets will pose. Nigeria remains the highest goal scorers so far after they hammered Eritrea 8-0 in a group opener last Sunday.

Ghana and Nigeria are tipped by bookmakers to make the final scheduled for Sunday, March 25.

The coach rubbished the comparison that makes Ghana start as favourites due to the fact that the Starlets scored a goal more than Nigeria in their game against Burkina Faso".

"What do you mean by bigger margin?, "Burkina must be thankful that we missed a penalty along the way else it will have been another goal galore game".

Nigeria had to fight back to pull a late equalizer in the first half before wrapping up victory at the dying minutes of regulation time.