Flying Eagles Face Burkina Faso In WAFU B Final For AFCON Ticket, Trophy

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will face Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions in a high-stakes WAFU B U20 Championship final in Yamoussoukro on Sunday, with the regional title and a place at next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations at stake.

The seven-time African champions are seeking to retain the trophy they won in Lomé in October 2024, but must overcome a Burkina Faso side that already defeated them in the group stage.

Sunday’s final will also determine the second team from the WAFU B zone to qualify for next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations, with hosts Ghana already guaranteed a place in the continental tournament.

The Flying Eagles, led by coach Abdu Maikaba, suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Young Stallions in their group-stage meeting and will be determined to produce a different result when the two sides meet again for the regional crown.

The encounter will be the first time Nigeria and Burkina Faso have contested a WAFU B U20 final, although they have faced each other several times at the group-stage level.

Their previous meetings have produced closely fought contests. In 2022, the Flying Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by Burkina Faso in Niger Republic, while the Young Stallions edged Nigeria 1-0 when the teams met in Lomé in 2024.

Maikaba believes the previous defeat gives his side valuable knowledge ahead of Sunday’s decisive encounter and an opportunity to avenge the group-stage loss.

“I think this is an opportunity for us to redeem ourselves having lost to Burkina Faso in the group stage,” Maikaba said.

“Having played them before, we now have an idea of their shape and structure and we are working on how to capitalise on their weaknesses, while also consolidating on our own strength.”

The Flying Eagles will need to combine tactical discipline with greater efficiency in front of goal as they bid to secure both the WAFU B title and a place at the continental finals.

Sunday’s final will be played at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro, with kick-off scheduled for 7pm.