Nigeria’s Flying Eagles produced a spirited comeback to defeat Niger Republic in the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B U-20 Championship in Togo on Sunday, securing a place in both the tournament final and the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
The seven-time African champions showed resilience after falling behind, fighting back to claim a deserved victory and keep alive their hopes of retaining the WAFU Zone B title. Softfootball understands that the result also guarantees Nigeria’s qualification for next year’s U-20 AFCON, where the continent’s top young talents will compete for honours.
Head coach Aliyu Zubairu’s side will now face arch-rivals Ghana in Wednesday’s final after the Black Satellites defeated Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in the first semi-final played earlier on Sunday.
The Flying Eagles will be aiming to successfully defend the WAFU Zone B crown they won in 2022 under former coach Ladan Bosso, adding another chapter to their impressive history in the regional competition.
Victory over Ghana would see Nigeria lift the title once again and head into the U-20 AFCON with renewed confidence.
Beyond the regional championship, qualification for the continental tournament represents a significant achievement for the Flying Eagles, as the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations will also serve as the qualification pathway for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Nigeria will now shift their focus to the highly anticipated final against Ghana, with another regional title firmly within reach.
