Nigeria’s Flying Eagles advanced to the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship despite ending the group stage with a 2-0 loss to Burkina Faso on Sunday.
The defeat saw Aliou Cissé’s Young Stallions finish as Group B winners with seven points from three matches, while Nigeria secured second place on six points to book their last-four spot.
The Flying Eagles had made an impressive start to the tournament, defeating Ghana 4-2 in their opening match before cruising to a 3-0 victory over Togo to put qualification firmly within reach.
Burkina Faso, however, proved too strong in the final group fixture. The West Africans broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute when Alassana Bagayogo rose highest to head in from a corner.
The Young Stallions extended their advantage 13 minutes later through Mohamed Zongo, who produced a stunning long-range free-kick from around 30 yards that left the Nigerian goalkeeper with no chance.
Nigeria showed greater urgency after the interval and enjoyed more possession, but struggled to penetrate Burkina Faso’s disciplined defence, which comfortably protected its two-goal cushion until the final whistle.
Elsewhere in Group B, Ghana and Togo settled for a goalless draw, leaving the Black Satellites third with two points, while Togo finished bottom with one.
Burkina Faso will now face Niger in one semi-final, while the Flying Eagles are set for a showdown against tournament hosts Côte d’Ivoire in the other.
The two finalists will not only compete for the regional title but also earn qualification for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, which Ghana will host.
