Nigeria’s U20 men’s team, the Flying Eagles, will battle hosts Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday evening for a place in the final of the WAFU B U20 Championship and a coveted qualification spot for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, Trybal News reports.
The semi-final clash will take place at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro, with both sides seeking to move one step closer to continental glory.
The Flying Eagles advanced to the last four as runners-up in Group B after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Burkina Faso in their final group-stage fixture.
Nigeria, however, will take confidence from their recent history against the Young Elephants. The two sides last met at the 2024 WAFU B Championship in Togo, where the Flying Eagles came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory through goals from Clinton Jephta and Kparobo Arierhi, a result that propelled them into the semi-finals before they eventually lifted the title.
Côte d’Ivoire head into Wednesday’s encounter in formidable form, having won all their group matches while scoring seven goals and keeping a clean sheet throughout the group stage.
Following the loss to Burkina Faso, Flying Eagles head coach Abdu Maikaba is expected to make changes to his starting lineup as Nigeria look to overcome the tournament hosts.
A victory would not only send the seven-time African champions into Sunday’s final but also secure qualification for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, where they would join hosts Ghana while keeping alive their hopes of successfully defending the WAFU B U20 title.
