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WAFU B: Flying Eagles brace for tough Elephants final test

23rd July 2025

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are gearing up for a fierce showdown against rampant Ivory Coast as both sides square off in the final of the WAFU B U20 Boys Cup today (Wednesday) at the Centre of Excellence in Prampram, Ghana, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

With the Ivorians enjoying a perfect run to the final, winning all four of their previous matches, the task before coach Aliyu Zubair’s men is clear; stop the Young Elephants or risk falling at the last hurdle.

Ivory Coast opened their campaign with a 2–1 victory over Burkina Faso, before seeing off Niger Republic and Togo with narrow wins of 1–0 and 2–0 respectively.

In Sunday’s semi-final, they showed grit to come from behind and knock out host nation Ghana 2–1.

For the Flying Eagles, the road to the final has not been without its own drama.

Mohammed Abdullahi rescued a point late on in their opener against Ghana, scoring in the 84th minute to force a 1–1 draw. Nigeria then stormed back from a goal down to dispatch Benin Republic 4–1, finishing top of their three-team Group A.

Their semi-final clash against Niger Republic ended goalless after 90 minutes, but Zubair’s boys held their nerve in a tense shootout, edging it 4–3 to book a place in Wednesday’s title decider.

The final will see WAFU B President, Ibrahim Gusau, in attendance alongside other dignitaries, as the region crowns its new youth champions.

For Zubair, it’s another opportunity to enhance his growing reputation.

The former Gombe United manager guided Nigeria to WAFU B glory in Togo last year, and followed up with qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup from the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

While Nigeria will look to the attacking duo of Mohammed Abdullahi and Ezekiel Kpangu for inspiration, the Ivorians boast firepower of their own in Abdoul Bamba and Ali Kone, both instrumental in their unbeaten run.

https://punchng.com/wafu-b-flying-eagles-brace-for-tough-elephants-final-test/

Photo 2) Semi-final result.

Photo 3) Group table.

WAFU is the West African Football Union.

WAFU Zone B U-20 semi-final.

Nigeria🇳🇬 0-0 🇳🇪Niger (4-3 on penalties)

Highlights


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uln99CGpJ1M?si=vCZRLumSjDoChquW

Group game.

Nigeria🇳🇬 4-1 🇧🇯Benin Republic.

Highlights.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7G1QwUKEIY?si=gr9mWc1PRXXX0sBy

Group game.

Nigeria🇳🇬 1-1 🇬🇭Ghana


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZGZ7-5kzD0?si=6UJNMTbDK2WuPsPH

Let's go guys, we can do this.
CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

We'll win. In all fronts, we'll win. It's gonna be a beautiful day.

The system isn't corrupt yet.
Soon they start fielding unqualified players like their senior counterparts when it's gets corrupted.

Nigeria is so talented in everything, music, sport and entertainment. If we have good leaders, I am 100% sure our youths will do better in science and technology too.

WAFU tournament and inconsistency. The organisers should do better with publicity

Nigeria will scatter ivory coast , these girls be making the country proud

I wish the flying eagles best of luck.


Let's get it, don't disappoint us.

We are heavily getting it right in football. Thanks to NFF

EdiskyHarry:
Nigeria is so talented in everything, music, sport and entertainment. If we have good leaders, I am 100% sure our youths will do better in science and technology too.

Blacks doing well in academics never translates to inventions. What do we call that? Even our natural resources can't be extracted viably by us and we claim they are ours. It doesn't work that way, the root/foundation has a problem.

How many days intervals between the semi finals and finals ?
Injury prone match

Tough match
I pray 🙏🏼🙏🏼 we can win the Ivorians.
Make them no do us papa and pikin

Ustec:
The system isn't corrupt yet.
Soon they start fielding unqualified players like their senior counterparts when it's gets corrupted.

My brother are Number 5&6 those guys are over aged.

naptu2:
Group game.

Nigeria🇳🇬 1-1 🇬🇭Ghana


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZGZ7-5kzD0?si=6UJNMTbDK2WuPsPH

see as them pack only northerners full the squad

NNEVERAGAINN:
see as them pack only northerners full the squad

How?I think as long as they are good,no big deal.Its football,only the best should be chosen to play.

Another flogging already coming in, i mean we are too big for this now

Osinbanjo the Yoruba man and his modular refinery



We are still waiting for it



😂😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄

Goo0dHardDick:
Nigeria will scatter ivory coast , these girls be making the country proud

Ayah girls or guys lol I thought na guys tournament

Congratulations to the flying Eagles in advance..

Goo0dHardDick:
Nigeria will scatter ivory coast , these girls be making the country proud

WAFU na boys. The girls are playing against Morocco on Saturday

Ok, noted.
All the best to the Nigeria flying eagles WAFU B U-20 team in the final match.

Kazeem47:
How?I think as long as they are good,no big deal.Its football,only the best should be chosen to play.

I agree with you. But there so many skillful footballers in every part of the country. I’m also one of them! It should cover the whole ethnicity

Flying Eagles have a tough challenge ahead, but with players like Abdullahi and Kpangu, they’ve got the firepower to win

I think this is an opportunity to take our pound of flesh after what they did to the senior team.

Where can we watch it?