UFOA B: Nigeria books a place in the final after a thrilling showdown with Côte d'Ivoire

The first semi-final of the UFOA B U20 tournament lived up to all expectations. Facing Côte d’Ivoire, defending champions Nigeria clinched their spot in the final after 120 minutes and a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. The Flying Eagles emerged victorious, keeping alive their dream of the 2027 U20 AFCON.

A rollercoaster scenario

Right from the start, the Ivorian hosts seized the advantage and ramped up the pressure. Nigeria answered back in the second half with a powerful header from a long throw-in to make it 1-1. Extra time turned the match on its head. With a well-placed cross, the Flying Eagles nodded home a diving header to retake the lead at 2-1. But Côte d’Ivoire refused to give in, equalizing at 2-2 and forcing the dreaded penalty shootout. Mentally tougher, the Nigerians held their nerve and won the shootout 4-3.

Nigeria on a mission, the final in sight

With this qualification, Nigeria cements its consistency in the sub-region. After a thunderous start to the tournament with 4-2 win over Ghana and a 3-0 victory against Togo, then a slip-up against Burkina Faso (0-2), the Flying Eagles are back at the top of their game.

In the final, they await the winner of Burkina Faso vs Niger. There’s a double incentive: lifting the UFOA B trophy and clinching a ticket to the final stage of the 2027 U20 AFCON scheduled in Ghana.

Ivorian dreams shattered

The U20 Elephants bow out at the semi-final stage. They had started their campaign impressively with two fine wins—a 5-0 demolition of Benin and a 2-0 victory over Niger. But Côte d'Ivoire couldn’t capitalize on home advantage and will miss out on the 2027 U20 AFCON. The last appearance by the Elephants at this level dates back to 2015.

Nafongo TRAORE |

News Editorfr, ar, en

Nafongon Moussa TRAORE, Burkinabè de 25 ans, est passionné de football, est rédacteur pour Foot Africa et commentateur pour BurkiFoot.

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