Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have booked their place in the final of the WAFU B U-20 Championship following a dramatic 4-3 win on penalties against Niger Republic, after a goalless draw in regulation time.
The tightly contested semi-final, played on Saturday, saw both sides struggle to find the back of the net over 90 minutes.
Nigeria dominated possession in the opening half and created several chances, with Divine Oliseh and Muhammed Abdullahi missing key opportunities to put the Flying Eagles ahead.
Niger Republic, though largely on the defensive, nearly took the lead late in the first half but were denied by a brilliant save from Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Ebenezer Harcourt.
The second half remained tense, with Niger keeping their defensive shape and Nigeria pushing for a breakthrough that never came. With neither side able to find a winner, the match was decided by a penalty shootout.
Harcourt emerged as the hero of the night, pulling off two crucial saves to hand Nigeria a 4-3 win in the shootout. His performance earned him the Man of the Match award.
With the victory, the Flying Eagles advance to the final where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between hosts Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.