By Nasiru Ibrahim
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles suffered a 2-0 defeat to Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions in their final Group B match of the WAFU B U-20 Boys Championship in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, on Sunday.
Despite the setback, Nigeria successfully secured qualification for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Ghana, after finishing among the top two teams in Group B. The Flying Eagles had laid a solid foundation with impressive victories over Ghana’s Black Satellites (4-2) and Togo’s Hawks (3-0).
Burkina Faso also progressed to the semi-finals and qualified for the continental championship after finishing second in the group.
The result further highlighted Burkina Faso’s impressive record against Nigeria at U-20 level. The Young Stallions remain unbeaten in the fixture, having now recorded three victories and two draws in five meetings with the Flying Eagles.
In Group A, hosts Côte d’Ivoire finished top of the standings after defeating Niger Republic 2-0, having opened their campaign with a commanding 5-0 victory over Benin Republic.
Attention now turns to the semi-finals, scheduled for Wednesday, 5 August 2026, at the Lycée Scientifique Stadium in Yamoussoukro. Nigeria will take on Niger Republic in the first semi-final at 5:00 p.m., while hosts Côte d’Ivoire will face Burkina Faso in the second semi-final at 7:00 p.m.
Although the Flying Eagles fell short against Burkina Faso, qualification for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations remains a significant achievement. The team will now focus on returning to winning ways as they continue their pursuit of the WAFU B U-20 Championship title.
