Eternal rivals Ghana and Nigeria will lock horns in the WAFU B U-20 Championship title today Wednesday, at Stade de Kégué in Lomé, the Togolese capital city.
The Flying Eagles will strive to maintain their dominance in the region as they face off against one of Africa’s most prestigious youth teams in a highly anticipated match.
Following their opening-day defeat against Burkina Faso, Nigerian bounced back by winning their second Group A match against Ivory Coast and a crucial semifinal in which they secured a 3-1 victory against Niger.
While the two powerhouses have secured qualification for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations next year, the face-off between two of West Africa’s football best evokes emotions with a sub-regional title and bragging rights at stake.
Nigeria coach Aliyu Zubairu is hopeful that his team will defend the trophy they claimed two years ago in Niamey, Niger.
The Nigerian squad’s path to the final has been characterised by determination, standout performances, and teamwork as they navigated a challenging group featuring Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.
They faced a setback with a 1-0 loss to Burkina Faso but bounced back to defeat Ivory Coast 2-1, securing their spot in the semifinals. There, they rallied from behind to triumph over Niger’s Junior Menas with a score of 3-1, setting up a final clash against their long-standing rivals, Ghana.
However, the Black Satellites stand in their way, having gained momentum in the championship after a slow start.
READ ALSO: I Never Thought Of Winning A Ballon d’Or—Rodri Admits
Ghana topped Group A after drawing twice against Togo (1-1) and Benin (2-2) and accounted for Niger 2-0 before they rallied from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in their semi-final match.
The final is indicative of the resilience in the attacking processes of both teams during their group and knockout phases and promises to be an exciting battle.
The WAFU B U-20 Championship serves as the qualifier for the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations and the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, with four semi-finalists qualifying automatically.
Burkina Faso’s Bado Benoit will referee the final, assisted by Eba Médard Wenceslas Ettien (Ivory Coast), Djaria Bio Bangana Yacoubou (Benin), and Kossi Fabrice Senyo (Togo, Fourth Official).
The reserve assistant referee is Aboubacar Aboubacar Ousmana Fousseini (Niger), with Kodjo Pafio Mawududji Dobou (Togo) as match commissioner and Kokou Ognankotan Ntale (Togo) as referee assessor.
READ ALSO: Erik ten Hag Fired As Manchester United Manager
Togo’s Palanga Pagui Essodina is the general coordinator, joined by Technical Study Group members Hamey Amadou (Niger) and Samuel Opoku Nti (Ghana).
Other key roles include Mohamed Silimane Ganoua (media officer, Togo), Atana Palakyem Atekpe (security officer, Togo), and Kayana Victorien Bikela (medical, Togo).
Additional support comes from Nasiru Sarkintudu Jibril (Assistant General Coordinator, Nigeria), Paqui Jesuwane (Assistant General Coordinator, Benin), Abouba Hainikoye Ismael (Digital Officer, Niger), and Bienvenu Sinko (Safeguard Officer, Ivory Coast).
