Nigeria face Burkina Faso in WAFU B U-20 Championship final

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will meet Burkina Faso in the final of the WAFU B U-20 Championship, with the defending champions seeking a third successive regional title.

The final will be a repeat of the teams’ Group B encounter, when Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions defeated Nigeria 2-0. That result gives Burkina Faso the psychological advantage heading into the championship match, although Nigeria have since secured their place in the final after a dramatic semi-final against hosts Cote d’Ivoire.

The Flying Eagles progressed by winning 4-2 on penalties after the match finished 2-2 following extra time. The outcome ended a tense contest and kept Abdu Maikaba’s team on course for another regional triumph.

Burkina Faso booked their own place in the final with a 2-0 extra-time victory over Niger Republic in the other semi-final. Their win sets up another meeting with Nigeria, who will be seeking to overturn the result from the group stage and retain the trophy.

The winners of the WAFU B U-20 Championship will qualify for the 2027 Africa U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. That qualification place adds further importance to the final, with both sides now one victory away from securing their place in the continental tournament.

Nigeria are aiming to win the regional competition for a third consecutive time. The Flying Eagles lifted the trophy in the previous two editions and will attempt to extend their run of success under Maikaba.

Their route to the final has included a penalty shootout victory against the host nation, while Burkina Faso have reached the decisive match after overcoming Niger Republic in extra time. The two finalists will now face each other again, with the Young Stallions looking to repeat the 2-0 group-stage success and Nigeria attempting to deliver a different result when the title is at stake.

A reaction to Nigeria’s semi-final victory said: “Time to give them back what they inflicted on us the last time. Another take away is the guy with the long throw, Omw he reminds me of Celestine Babayaro he is a great national asset and such weapon must be utilised to create more goals.”

The final will therefore bring together the two strongest sides from the competition’s Group B section, with the earlier meeting ensuring there is already a clear storyline between them. Burkina Faso have already shown they can trouble the defending champions, but Nigeria’s penalty success against Cote d’Ivoire means they enter the final with their title defence still alive.

The match will decide the WAFU B U-20 champions and determine which team qualifies for the 2027 Africa U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.