By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire will face-off in the final of the ongoing 2025 WAFU B U20 Tournament taking place in Ghana.
This followed the triumph of both countries in the semi-final stage of the competition.
While Cote d’Ivoire beat Ghana 2-1, Nigeria overcame Niger Republic 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
After a tense encounter between Nigeria and Niger within 90 minutes, both sides settled for penalties.
Throughout the match, the Nigerian team, also known as the Flying Eagles, exhibited determination but faced challenges in converting several scoring opportunities.
On the other hand, the Nigeriens adopted a strong defensive stance.
The first half saw the Flying Eagles record three shots off target, while the opponents did not have any sight of the Nigerian goal. In the second half, the cup holders stepped up their attacking efforts, showcasing robust intent to break through the organised Nigerien defence, which utilised a solid formation with seven players focused on containment.
With the encounter still goalless after regulation time, the teams moved to a penalty shootout.
The Nigerien side saw their first kick saved by Nigerian goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt. Similarly, Nigerian defender Tahir Maigana missed his kick.
However, the Flying Eagles displayed resilience and confidence in the shootout, successfully converting four of their penalties, while Niger Republic managed to score only two.
