Nigeria’s Flying Eagles booked their place in the final of the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship the hard way on the Wednesday evening, defeating hosts Ivory Coast 4-3 on penalties after a gripping 2-2 draw that stretched into extra time at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro.
The result not only keeps the defending champions’ title defence alive but also guarantees them a place at the 2027 U-20 AfricCup of Nations.
Ivory Coast, who had swept through the group stage without conceding, began with clear intent.
They forced early saves from goalkeeper Clinton Lawani in the 12th and 14th minutes before taking the lead midway through the first half. Namory Keita finished a well-worked move to put the hosts ahead, and Nigeria struggled to create clear openings before the break.
The Flying Eagles improved after the restart. Their equaliser arrived in the 67th minute when captain Habila Simeon rose to head home from a long throw, ending Ivory Coast’s clean-sheet run in the tournament.
Extra time brought more drama. Just three minutes in, Aliyu Abubakar glanced in a header to put Nigeria ahead for the first time. Gift Subi almost added a third after a surging solo run, but his effort drifted wide.
Ivory Coast responded before the end of the first additional period, capitalising on a defensive lapse to level the scores at 2-2 and force a penalty shootout.
Lawani emerged as the standout figure. The Sporting Lagos goalkeeper saved two Ivorian spot-kicks while Nigeria converted four of their five attempts to seal a 4-3 victory.
The result sparked celebrations among the Nigerian contingent and confirmed their progress to a high-stakes final.
The match underlined the competitive depth of West African youth football: a well-organised home side pushed the seven-time African champions all the way, only to be denied by composure from the penalty spot and the heroics of a goalkeeper who refused to be beaten when it mattered most.
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