WAFU B U20: Flying Eagles battle Ivory Coast for final, AFCON ticket

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will be aiming to secure a place in the final of the WAFU B U20 Championship and seal qualification for next year’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when they face hosts Ivory Coast in Wednesday’s semi-final.

The high-stakes encounter will take place at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro, with the defending champions seeking to keep alive their hopes of retaining the regional title.

Flying Eagles seek response after Burkina Faso defeat Nigeria advanced to the semi-finals as runners-up in Group B after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions in their final group-stage match.

Coach Abdu Maikaba’s side will be eager to bounce back from that setback against an Ivorian team that has been one of the standout performers of the tournament.

The hosts head into the last-four clash with a perfect record, having won all their group matches while scoring seven goals without conceding a single goal.

The two teams last met in the decisive group-stage match of the 2024 WAFU B U20 Championship in Togo, where the Flying Eagles staged a comeback to defeat Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in Lomé.

Goals from Clinton Jephta and Kparobo Arierhi overturned an early deficit and sent the seven-time African champions into the semi-finals, before they went on to lift the tournament trophy.

Nigeria will be hoping history repeats itself as they seek another famous victory over the Young Elephants.

Maikaba is expected to make changes to his starting lineup following the disappointing defeat to Burkina Faso as he looks to inject fresh energy into the team.

Victory over Ivory Coast would book Nigeria’s place in Sunday’s final and guarantee qualification for the 2027 U20 AFCON alongside hosts Ghana.

A win would also move the Flying Eagles one step closer to successfully defending the WAFU B U20 title they won two years ago, reaffirming their status as one of the region’s dominant youth football teams.