Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have qualified for the final of the WAFU B U-20 Championship after defeating hosts Côte d’Ivoire 4-3 on penalties in a thrilling semi-final contest on Wednesday.
The encounter ended 2-2 after regulation and extra time, with goalkeeper Lawani Clinton emerging as the hero after making two decisive saves during the penalty shootout to send Nigeria into the title decider.
The hosts dominated the opening stages of the match and deservedly took the lead in the 18th minute, putting the Flying Eagles under early pressure.
Nigeria responded strongly after the restart, with captain Habila Simeon heading home the equaliser in the 68th minute to restore parity. The goal also ended Côte d’Ivoire’s impressive run without conceding in the tournament.
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The Flying Eagles completed the comeback in extra time when Abubakar Aliyu found the back of the net to hand Nigeria a 2-1 advantage.
However, Côte d’Ivoire refused to bow out quietly, scoring deep into added time of extra time to make it 2-2 and force the match into penalties.
In the shootout, Simeon failed to convert Nigeria’s second kick, but Clinton produced two outstanding saves to deny the Ivorians, helping the Flying Eagles seal a 4-3 victory and secure a place in the championship final.
The victory keeps Nigeria on course for another WAFU B U-20 title as the seven-time African champions prepare for the final showdown.