Clinton Lawani saved two penalties as Nigeria’s Flying Eagles edged hosts Cote d’Ivoire 4-3 on spot kicks to reach the WAFU B U20 final and lock in a spot at next year’s continental finals.
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Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are through to the final of the WAFU B U20 Championship after beating tournament hosts Cote d’Ivoire 4-3 on penalties, with the match finishing 2-2 following extra time. It’s the kind of knockout survival act the defending champions have made their trademark this summer.
Cote d’Ivoire broke the deadlock in the 18th minute, ending a run in which they hadn’t conceded a single goal all tournament after clean sheets against Benin and Niger. Nigeria captain Habila Simeon dragged his side level in the 67th minute, rising to nod home and force the game into a different gear.
Abubakar Aliyu put the Flying Eagles ahead early in extra time, only for the hosts to hit back with an equaliser deep into stoppage time to send the tie to penalties. Neither side had managed to find a winner in the closing stages, leaving the shootout to settle a semi-final that had swung back and forth all afternoon.
Simeon’s penalty for Nigeria came back off the post, but goalkeeper Clinton Lawani made sure it didn’t matter. He saved two Ivorian efforts in the shootout to send Nigeria through 4-3, capping a personal masterclass that also included a crucial 59th minute save from a dangerous corner during regulation time. Fans who enjoy watching shootout drama unfold can check the Bet9ja’s current promo code before the next round of African youth football.
Beyond the trophy race, Sunday’s win already carries real weight. Both finalists at this year’s WAFU B Championship earn automatic qualification for the 2027 U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, meaning Nigeria’s continental ticket is punched regardless of how the final itself goes.
That security doesn’t mean the Flying Eagles will ease off. Nigeria go into the final as reigning WAFU B champions, having beaten Ghana’s Black Satellites 2-1 in Lome in 2024 to win the last edition of the tournament, and Abdu Maikaba’s squad have made clear they want to defend the title rather than settle for qualification alone.
Their route to this point wasn’t spotless. Nigeria opened Group B with a 4-2 win over Ghana and a 3-0 victory over Togo before a 2-0 defeat to Burkina Faso, their first loss of the tournament, cost them top spot and sent them into the semi finals as runners-up instead. New Bet9ja users tracking the youth tournaments can also find useful information via today’s Bet9ja promo code ahead of the final.
Whoever awaits in the final will be familiar territory in some ways and unfamiliar in others. Niger and Burkina Faso met in the other semi-final on the same day, with the Young Stallions arriving in good form after topping Group B unbeaten, and Nigeria have never actually beaten Burkina Faso at U20 level across four previous meetings.
That record adds an extra edge if the Group B pairing repeats itself in the final. Either way, Nigeria will go in as one of the continent’s most decorated age grade sides, chasing an eighth African crown at this level and a return to the FIFA U20 World Cup conversation down the line.
For now, the Flying Eagles can enjoy a job already half done. Punters keeping an eye on Nigeria’s youth football fixtures can head to Bet9ja’s YOHAIG promo code ahead of the final whenever it’s confirmed.
📌 Did You Know?
- Nigeria are seven-time African U20 champions and two-time FIFA U20 World Cup silver medalists, among the most decorated youth sides on the continent.
- Head coach Abdu Maikaba travelled to Cote d’Ivoire with a 23-man squad for the tournament.
- All three of Nigeria’s group stage matches were played at the same venue, the Lycee Scientifique de Yamoussoukro.
- Nigeria and Burkina Faso have met four times at U20 level since 2019, with two draws and two wins for the Burkinabe side.
- Cote d’Ivoire’s opening goal against Nigeria was the first they had conceded in the entire tournament, having shut out Benin and Niger in the group stage.
- The 2024 WAFU B U20 final, which Nigeria won 2-1 against Ghana, was played in Lome, Togo.
- Reaching Sunday’s semi-final already guaranteed both Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire places at the 2027 U20 Africa Cup of Nations before a ball was even kicked in the shootout.
