Nigeria head into Saturday's 2013 African U-17 Championship final against Ivory Coast seeking to avenge their defeat by the Baby Elephants in the group stage of the competition and to win the 10th edition of the competition in Morocco for record third time.
The Golden Eaglets won the championship in Seychelles in 2001 and in Togo in 2007. They will make history as the first team to lift the trophy thrice. Ghana ruled the category at Mali '95 and Guinea '99, while Gambia were crowned champions at home in 2005 and four years later in Algeria.
Ivory Coast's best effort in the tournament is a third-place finish at the 2005 edition in Gambia.
Nigeria, who defeated bitter rivals Ghana 6-1 in their first match in the competition to declare their ambition, lost 1-0 to the Ivorians in their second game.
Both countries have since qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates later in the year along with Tunisia and hosts Morocco.
To reach the final, Ivory Coast beat Morocco 2-1 in Tuesday's first semifinal in Casablanca while Nigeria defeated Tunisia 4-2 in the second semifinal on Wednesday at Stade de Marrakech, Marrakech, where today's final will take place. While Nigeria boast 17 goals in the event, Ivory Coast hit the back of the net only four times.
Coach Manu Garba will bank on tournament leading scorer with six goals Isaac Success and Kelechi Ihenacho, who has scored five goals for victory. However, they face an uphill task to break down the Ivorian defence, which has conceded only two goals in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Chidera Ezeh insists the Eaglets will not settle for second place in the championship as they did in Mali in 1995.
He said, "We are very happy to qualify for the final. Our aim is to win this trophy and make Nigerians happy.
"We lost to them (in the group stage) because we didn't know anything about them, but now we know a lot about them and how they play."
Minister of Sports Bolaji Abdullahi; ex-Super Eagles coach Christian Chukwu; Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports and Social Development Adamu Gumba; and veteran sports journalist Paul Bassey, who are in Morocco for the final, urged the team win the trophy.
Former Super Eagles goalkeeping coach Joe Erico and ex-Inter Milan defender Taribo West backed the Eaglets to win the competition.
However, the duo advised the team to avoid the mistakes that cost them points in the group encounter with the Baby Elephants.
"The Ivorians are a bit too physical but not tactical, so the Eaglets should find a way to take advantage of that weakness in the final," the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Erico as saying.
Taribo urged the Eaglets to take their chances in the game and prevent the opponents from getting shooting opportunities.
"I am sure that they have learnt a thing or two from their last match," the ex-Eagles player said.
"The Eaglets will be extra careful, and naturally the Ivorians will be confident of winning, which will bring their downfall, it's only natural that their earlier success may go to their heads.
"The two teams know their shortcomings, and it is left for the Eaglets to exploit this in all ways; they have equal chances though but I see the Eaglets taking the day."
