Defending champions Nigeria’s Flying Eagles face a must-win situation against the Young Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday in the WAFU B U20 Championship.
After a narrow 1-0 loss to Burkina Faso, the Flying Eagles must defeat the Ivorian Elephants by two clear goals to guarantee a place in the semi-finals.
The group stage format is proving challenging for the three teams, where each team only plays two matches, and one loss could end their campaign.
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With Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire tied at the top, Nigeria’s hopes of advancing depend on a strong performance in their final group game.
Nigeria Football Federation President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau expressed disappointment after the team’s defeat but remains hopeful the Flying Eagles will bounce back.
He stressed the importance of reaching the U20 AFCON and the need to maintain the high expectations of Nigerian fans after the team’s impressive World Cup quarter-final run last year.
The decisive encounter takes place at the Municipal Stadium in Lome, Togo, kicking off at 4 PM Nigerian time.
Nigeria must deliver their best performance yet to defend their title and avoid an early exit.
