The Ivorians capped a flawless campaign with their fifth consecutive win, showcasing discipline, cohesion, and tactical superiority throughout the tournament.

Their triumph was sealed deep into stoppage time, when Nigerian goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt mishandled a free-kick, allowing Zakaria Tindano to pounce and score the only goal of the match.

Côte d’Ivoire’s path to the title was nothing short of impressive. They opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Burkina Faso, followed by 1-0 and 2-0 victories against Niger Republic and Togo, respectively, in the group stage. In the semi-final, they came from behind to eliminate hosts Ghana with a 2-1 comeback win.

For Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, it was a hard-fought final against an in-form opponent. The seven-time African champions put up a resilient display and held their own until the late lapse that proved costly.

Despite the loss, Nigeria’s run to the final remains commendable, and the experience will be vital as the team looks ahead to future continental and global competitions.

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The Young Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire have been the tournament’s most dominant side, winning all four of their matches en route to the final. T

hey opened their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso, before dispatching Niger Republic 1-0 and Togo 2-0 in the group phase.

 In Sunday’s semi-final, the Ivorians showcased their fighting spirit by coming from behind to defeat host nation Ghana 2-1, further underlining their resilience and all-round quality.

On the other hand, the Flying Eagles reached the final through a mix of grit and firepower. After drawing 1-1 with Ghana in their opening game — thanks to an 84th-minute equalizer by forward Mohammed Abdullahi — they roared back from behind to crush Benin Republic 4-1 in their second group match.

Their semi-final clash against Niger Republic proved more nervy, ending 0-0 in regulation time before the Nigerians edged it 4-3 in a tense penalty shootout to book their place in the final.

As anticipation builds for Wednesday’s showdown, all eyes will be on Head Coach Ladan Bosso’s successor, Aliyu Zubair, who continues to build a winning résumé. Zubair led the Flying Eagles to victory in last year’s WAFU B U20 Championship in Togo and secured a spot at the 2023 U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, which in turn earned Nigeria a place at the FIFA U20 World Cup.

Key players to watch for Nigeria include the influential Mohammed Abdullahi and midfield maestro Ezekiel Kpangu, both of whom have been central to the team’s attacking play. Cote d’Ivoire, however, boast their own match-winners in Abdoul Bamba and Ali Kone — players who have terrorized defences throughout the competition.

Wednesday’s final is expected to draw top dignitaries, including WAFU B President and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON), who will be joined by other high-ranking officials of the regional body to witness what promises to be a thrilling contest.

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The match got off to a sluggish start for the Flying Eagles as Benin Republic came out with high intensity and purpose. Their early aggression paid off in the 24th minute when Junior Olugbade curled a superb free-kick into the bottom corner, giving the Junior Cheetahs a well-deserved lead.

However, Nigeria found their rhythm before halftime, with Mohammed Abdullahi levelling the score after capitalising on sustained pressure to send both teams into the break tied at 1-1.

The Flying Eagles returned from the interval with renewed energy and purpose, quickly asserting control. Their efforts bore fruit when a well-orchestrated attacking move ended with Ezekiel Kpangu calmly slotting home to give Nigeria a 2-1 advantage.

Moments later, Imrana Mohammed added a third goal, weaving through the Beninese defence before placing a composed finish beyond the goalkeeper.

The victory was sealed in the closing stages, as a precise long pass found Imrana Mohammed in stride. The forward turned provider, setting up Abdulahi Majid, who unleashed a stunning long-range effort from outside the box to make it 4-1.

Defender Odinaka Okoro was named Man of the Match for his commanding presence at the back and contribution to the team’s overall performance.

With this result, the Flying Eagles showcased their resilience and attacking strength, sending a strong signal as they continue their campaign.

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The hosts struck first in the 26th minute when team captain Musbau Azeez guided the ball into the net to send the home crowd into celebration. Ghana maintained the upper hand for much of the first half, pressing Nigeria into defensive mode and drawing a yellow card for Flying Eagles skipper Daniel Bameyi following a rough tackle in the 33rd minute.

Despite a late first-half surge from the Nigerians, Ghana held on to their slim lead going into the break.

The second half saw Nigeria push forward in search of an equaliser. An appeal for a penalty in the 66th minute was waved off by the referee, and a promising 76th-minute free kick by defender Odinaka Okoro narrowly missed the target.

Their persistence paid off in the 84th minute when Mohammed Abdulahi rose high to meet a corner kick, heading home the leveller to secure a point for Nigeria.

The Flying Eagles will return to action on Sunday when they face the Young Cheetahs of Benin Republic in their second group game.

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Originally planned as a joint competition involving nations from both WAFU A and WAFU B zones, the tournament has now been streamlined to feature only WAFU B countries, with Ghana’s capital city playing host.

Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu has named a 20-man squad led by captain Daniel Bameyi, with several familiar faces returning from the team that finished third at the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt, securing Nigeria’s ticket to the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile later this year.

Notable returnees include goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt, defender Odinaka Okoro, and midfielders Bidemi Amole, Ezekiel Kpangu, Divine Oliseh, and Tahir Maigana.

The squad also welcomes a fresh crop of talents such as Clinton Andy (goalkeeper, Bayelsa United), defenders Abba Sadiq and Marvelous Freedom, midfielder Abduljelil Kamaldeen, and forwards Imrana Muhammad and Qudus Olayiwola.

The Flying Eagles, champions of the last two editions of the WAFU B U20 Championship (hosted by Niger Republic in 2022 and Togo in 2020), will begin their title defence against hosts Ghana in the tournament’s opening match at the Prampram Centre in Accra on Thursday, July 10 at 3:00 pm.

They will face Benin Republic in their second and final Group A match on Sunday, July 13.

Group B features Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, and Togo, with the Ivorians and Burkinabes squaring off in the group’s opening encounter also on Thursday.

20 FLYING EAGLES IN GHANA FOR WAFU B U20 TOURNAMENT:

Goalkeepers: Ifeanyi Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos); Clinton Andy (Bayelsa United)

Defenders: Abba Khalid Sadiq (Niger Tornadoes); Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos); Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United); Akinniran Oluwashile (Water FC); Ahmed Akinyele (Remo Stars); Marvelous Freedom (Ikorodu City)

Midfielders: Divine Oliseh (Forster Academy); Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire FC); Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC); Ezekiel Kpangu (Inspire Academy); Rawa Mohammed (Beyond Limits); Matthew Kingsley (Kings FC); Abduljelil Kamaldeen (Kwara Football Academy); Shafiu Adamu Duguri (Wikki Tourists)

Forwards: Abdullahi Muhammed (Kwara United); Godday Otalyul-Imbus (Calabar Rovers); Imrana Muhammad (Mavlon FC); Qudus Olayiwola (P Sport FC) 

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 The Flying Eagles dominated large swatches of the encounter, but it turned out a game of two halves Nigeria were imperious in the first half and Ghana turned on the heat in the second.

 Harcourt came up with a clever palm-down when the Ghanaians broke through from the left with a cross and a header in the 14^th minute, and then punched the ball away after a point-blank shot as the Satellites waltzed their way into the box from the right in added time.

 In-between, Kparobo Arierhi had concluded the damage. First, in the 34^th minute, he received a pass on the edge of the box as the Flying Eagles broke forward on the right, and scored with the trusted poacher’s calm, left-footed finish into the bottom corner, with the goalkeeper clutching grass.

The second was more spectacular. Nigerian manfully snatched the ball half-way into the Satellites’ area, and a couple of passes left Kparobo, who plays his club football for Beyond Limits FC, and had scored Nigeria’s winner in the 2-1 win over Cote d’Ivoire in the group phase, face to face with the goalkeeper. Without any attempt at showboating, he unleashed a right-footed rocket right into the roof of the net.

On the hour, Nigeria had to spiritedly clear their lines as the Black Satellites, in a rare onslaught, picked the pockets of several defenders and got the ball past goalkeeper Harcourt.

Five minutes later, Nigeria again escaped through stout defending as a flurry of shots from inside and outside the box simply failed to get the ball beyond Harcourt.  

The pressure finally paid off for the Ghanaians in the 74^th minute, as they reduced the tally following a goalmouth melee.

However, the Flying Eagles held on to retain their trophy won two years ago in Niger Republic, and with Kparobo Arierhi collecting the Man-of-the-Match award.

Nigeria and Ghana will represent WAFU B at next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations, to be hosted by South Africa.

Nigeria’s two goals came in the opening 15 minutes of the match while Ghana reduced the tally with less than 15 minutes to regulation time.

Nigeria and Ghana clinched their places in the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following impressive semi-final victories in the WAFU B qualifying championship on Sunday. 

Ghana edged Cote d’Ivoire with a resilient 2-1 comeback, while Nigeria overpowered Niger Republic 3-1 to set up a highly anticipated final between the two West African rivals.

Ghana’s Black Satellites faced early challenges against the Baby Elephants, conceding in the 18th minute when Loukou Jaures took advantage of a defensive lapse to put the Ivorians ahead.

  Struggling to regain control, Ghana entered halftime trailing but returned with renewed vigour.

In the 47th minute, relentless pressure from Ghana forced an own goal from the Ivorian defence, levelling the score at 1-1.

With momentum shifting in their favour, Ghana pressed for a winner. Their persistence paid off in the 75th minute as forward Jerry Afriyie won a penalty after a decisive run into the box.

Calmly stepping up, Afriyie converted, giving Ghana a 2-1 lead and ultimately securing their U-20 AFCON spot.

Afriyie’s match-winning goal earned him Man of the Match, marking a pivotal moment in Ghana’s qualification journey.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Flying Eagles battled through a spirited performance from Niger.

Although Niger took an early lead in the 10th minute, Nigeria responded strongly.

A 35th-minute equalizer revived the Flying Eagles, and they continued to press, breaking through Niger’s defence in the second half to go up 2-1.

Niger’s attempts to counter left gaps at the back, which Nigeria exploited to extend their lead to 3-1, ensuring their spot in both the WAFU-B final and the U-20 AFCON.

As the final whistle sounded, Nigeria celebrated a hard-earned victory, joining Ghana in the tournament final set for October 30, 2024, in a clash between two of West Africa’s football powerhouses.

The neighbours to the north went in front after only nine minutes of the second semi-final at the Stade Kegue, but just as they did against Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday, the seven-time African champions were unruffled. Instead, they found a better shape and dominated afterwards, scoring three marvelous goals that took them to the Final, where they clash with West African arch rivals Ghana, who had earlier seen off Cote d’Ivoire 2-1.

Against the run of play, the Junior Mena came close to doubling their advantage in the 33^rd minute, but Nigeria survived and shortly after, found the equalizer that their endeavour merited.

Clinton Jephta finished with aplomb from outside the box to put Flying Eagles on level terms in the 35^th minute, after an eye-catching interchange of passes among Kparobo Arierhi, Abba Maigari and Nasiru Salihu.

Jephta was on song again 13 minutes after the restart, putting Nigeria ahead for the first time in the match, and goalkeeper Ifeanyi Harcourt deserves praise for his excellent saves that maintained Nigeria’s advantage.

The Flying Eagles netted the third in added time, through Olalekan Alonge.

President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, said: “I commend the fighting spirit of the Flying Eagles in reaching the final of the WAFU B U20 Championship and in the process, winning a slot at the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations. I watched their first match against Burkina Faso (which they lost 0-1) but the team has continued to improve with every match since then.

“The NFF is delighted with their performance. We believe they have what it takes to go all the way and successfully defend their title against the Ghanaians in Wednesday’s Final.”

In the event, Burkina Faso’s Young Etalons were eliminated on inferior goal-count against those of the Flying Eagles and the Young Elephants. Nigeria scored two goals and conceded two, same for the Ivorians, with all three teams in group B finishing with three points each. The Burkinabes scored one and conceded one, in beating Nigeria and losing to the Ivorians, by the odd goal each way.

Victory handed Aliyu Zubair’s side the opportunity to continue chasing the defence of their title, won in Niamey two years ago.

A feisty first half at the Municipal Stadium ended scoreless. Bidemi Amole’s hopeful shot from distance sailed wide, while striker Kparobo’s powerful shot was pushed out for a corner by the Ivorian goalkeeper.

In the 39^th minute, Nigeria’s appeal for a penalty was rejected by the referee. As the first half drew to a close, the Flying Eagles continued to press, with Amole’s effort crashing against the crossbar.

The second half witnessed increased urgency from the Flying Eagles. Côte d’Ivoire’s effort was chalked off in the 48^th minute, and Nigeria’s striker Kparobo was denied by the goalkeeper in the 53^rd minute. Amole, again, came close soon after.

The Ivorians finally broke the deadlock in the 62^nd minute, but Clinton Jephta equalized for Nigeria shortly after. Kparobo Arierhi scored the winning goal, securing a 2-1 win for the Flying Eagles.

“We showed resilience and determination,” said Coach Aliyu Zubairu, “We’re delighted with the victory and look forward to the semi-finals.”

Nigeria will take on Niger Republic in Saturday’s semi-finals.