Lawani the hero as Nigeria reach WAFU B U-20 Championship final

Nigeria goalkeeper Clinton Lawani saved two penalties to send the Flying Eagles into the final of the WAFU B U-20 Championship after a dramatic semi-final victory over hosts Ivory Coast.

The two sides drew 2-2 during regulation time before Nigeria prevailed 4-3 in the shootout, with Lawani’s saves proving decisive. The goalkeeper said his performance was the result of extensive training and the trust shown in him by the coaching crew.

Lawani praised his coach for backing him to deliver when the match went to penalties and said the possibility of a shootout had been specifically addressed during preparations for the knockout stage.

“About the penalty, I will give kudos to my coach. He has belief in me,” Lawani told Daga Shotz.

“We have been practicing it on the pitch during training, so he believes that I can do it.

“One thing about the knockout stage is that you have to be prepared. Normally, Ivory Coast is a strong team, so we had to prepare during training because the game could end up in a penalty shootout.

“Thanks to the players who scored. If they hadn’t scored, the game would still have been on. Thanks to the players, and thanks to the management for giving me the opportunity.”

The result booked Nigeria’s place in the final and kept alive their hopes of successfully defending the WAFU B U-20 Championship title.

Lawani acknowledged the contribution of his team-mates, stressing that his saves would not have been enough without the penalties converted by the Flying Eagles. He also thanked the management for giving him the opportunity to play a central role in the shootout.

The goalkeeper is now confident Nigeria can complete the tournament by lifting the trophy. He called on supporters at home to continue encouraging the team and to pray for them ahead of the final.

“They should keep supporting us and keep praying for us. In the final, we know that we are going to come home with the trophy,” he added.

Nigeria will face Burkina Faso in the final. Burkina Faso secured the other place in the deciding match by beating Niger in the second semi-final.

The Flying Eagles’ progress comes after a tense encounter against Ivory Coast, who were competing on home soil. With the score level at 2-2 after regulation time, the outcome was settled from the penalty spot, where Lawani’s intervention gave Nigeria the advantage.

His two saves made him the standout figure of the semi-final, but Lawani attributed the success to the team’s collective preparation, the players who converted their penalties and the confidence placed in him by the coaching staff.

Nigeria must now turn their attention to Burkina Faso and attempt to finish their campaign by retaining the WAFU B U-20 Championship crown.