Nigeria’s Flying Eagles kicked off their title defense at the WAFU B U20 Championship with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Burkina Faso on Friday evening.
This competition serves as the qualifier for the 2025 U20 African Cup of Nations.
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What happened in the game?
Early in the match, Kparobo Arierhi had a golden opportunity to score but missed the target. Burkina Faso responded with several attacks, testing Nigerian goalkeeper Nathaniel Nwosu. Nwosu made several key saves, including a crucial stop from a free kick in the 22nd minute.
Both teams continued to create chances throughout the first half, but neither was able to break the deadlock. After the break, Nasiru Salihu tried his luck from long range but missed the target.
The turning point came in the 66th minute when Burkina Faso’s Coulibaly Dramane scored from a set piece. Nigeria struggled to find an equalizer and ultimately fell to their first defeat of the tournament.
Watch the highlight as seen in a post shared on X:
FULL TIME: Nigeria Flying Eagles 🇳🇬 0 vs 1 Burkina Faso U20 🇧🇫
WAFU ZONE B U20 Cup:#QAFCONU20
This competition serves as the qualifiers for 2025 U20 African Cup of Nations. pic.twitter.com/Pe5MVSyKpD
— Dr. Victor Ademola (@AdemolaVictorTv) October 18, 2024
What next for Flying Eagles?
The Flying Eagles will need to win their next match against Ivory Coast to stay in contention for a place in the knockout stage.
