U20 AFCON qualifiers: Flying Eagles lose 2-0 to Burkina Faso but advance

Nigeria's U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, suffered a 2-0 defeat against Burkina Faso in their final group match of the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship. Despite the loss, the team secured their spot in the semi-finals as the second-place team in Group B.

Burkina Faso took the lead in the 23rd minute when Alassana Bagayogo scored with a header from a corner kick. Their advantage was doubled 13 minutes later by Mohamed Zongo, who curled a spectacular free-kick from approximately 30 yards into the net. The Flying Eagles showed improvement in the second half but struggled to create significant scoring opportunities against a compact Burkina Faso defense.

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Alassana Bagayogo headed home from a corner.

With this result, Burkina Faso finished at the top of Group B with seven points from three matches. Nigeria secured six points, while Ghana ended with two points after a goalless draw with Togo, who finished at the bottom of the group with one point. The defeat means the Flying Eagles will face the tournament hosts, Côte d’Ivoire, in one semi-final.

The other semi-final will see Burkina Faso play against Niger. The winners of both semi-final matches will not only advance to the final but also secure qualification for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, which is scheduled to be hosted by Ghana.

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Mohamed Zongo curled a superb free-kick from about 30 yards beyond the Nigerian goalkeeper.