By Sports Editor
Nigeria’s men’s amputee football team, the Special Eagles, are through to the quarter-finals of the ongoing Amputee AFCON in Egypt following a comprehensive 11-0 win over Burundi in their last group game on Wednesday.
Striker, Michael Jewell, was the star performer in the win, scoring seven times while Turkey-based Mohammad Grima scored a hat-trick plus another goal by Olaa Buhachi made a light work of the newcomers.
The big win sealed the top spot comfortably for the Special Eagles in Group A, thanks to a superior goal difference ahead of hosts Egypt.
The Egyptians had beaten Burundi 10-2 on Tuesday following their goalless draw against Nigeria in the opening game last Saturday.
Nigeria will face the second-placed team from Group B in the quarter-finals on Thursday night, with Liberia looking set to finish behind Morocco in that group, depending on the outcome of their encounter, which is a late kick-off on Wednesday (today).
Seven out of the countries that progress to the last eight will make it to the 2026 Amputee World Cup in Morocco.
Nigeria’s best outing at the Nations Cup was a second-place finish at the 2019 edition in Angola, losing 2-0 to the hosts in the final
