The Flying Eagles defeated the Squirrels to banish the disappointment of their last outing. Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will head into next year’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations as the West African champions after beating Benin 3-1 in the final of the WAFU U20 tournament.
The Flying Eagles had come through a group that had Ghana and Burkina Faso beating the Black Starlets 2-0 before playing a 2-2 draw against the Young Stallions.
Ladan Bosso’s men then defeated a stubborn Ivory Coast side 2-1 after extra time in the semi-final to set up a final date against Benin.
Nigeria went into the game against Benin as the favorite, but they had to wait until the 40th-minute for the opener. The Flying Eagles took the lead courtesy of a penalty from Tolu Ojo.
The second half started the same way as the first, with the Bosso’s men on the front foot. The Flying Eagles’ dominance paid off when Ojo doubled their advantage with a brilliant effort in the 70th-minute.
Ibrahim Muhammad completed an emphatic win for Nigeria in the 77th-minute with a brilliant effort from outside the box. Although Benin pulled one back late in the game, it only served as a consolation. The result means Nigeria will go into the AFCON u20 championship next year as the West African Champions.
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The result also serves as a redemption for Bosso, who was also in charge of the team that crashed out in the group stage in 2020.
The Flying Eagles will now hope to secure a World Cup ticket by going all the way to the final at the U20 AFCON next year.
