MARRACKECH. Ivory Coast won the African U-17 Championship for the first time in their history after a 5-4 penalties win over Nigeria in the final in Marrakech.The Baby Elephants secured the trophy after the match had ended 1-1 in normal time.Nigeria took the lead when Izu Omego struck in the eighth minute. Ivory Coast equalised through striker Bile Bedia 18 minutes later.Nigeria went down to ten men when Omego was sent off 16 minutes from time. The regulations stated that no extra-time should be played with the match going to a decisive shoot-out.Ivory Coast scored all their penalties with Dogbole Niangbo hitting the winning spot-kick after Chidiebere Nwakali missed for the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria.Ivory Coast also beat Nigeria in the group stages earlier in the competition, winning their Group B game 1-nil.Tunisia finished third in the tournament after beating the hosts Morocco 11-10 in a marathon penalty shoot-out. Their match had also finished 1-1.All four teams - champions Ivory Coast, runners-up Nigeria, Tunisia and Morocco - have qualified for the Fifia Under-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates from 17 October to 8 November.
