Nigeria's youth team set to clash with Ghana in WAFU B tournament kickoff match

Nigeria's title defence in the WAFU B U-20 Championship is set to commence with a highly anticipated match against Ghana, the same team they faced in the final of the previous edition, with the encounter taking place in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, on Monday.

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The Flying Eagles had emerged victorious in the 2024 final, defeating the Black Satellites 2-1 at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo, thereby successfully retaining the title they first won in Niamey in 2022.

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Isa Ladan Bosso was at the helm when Nigeria won the title in 2022, while Aliyu Zubairu led the team to a successful title defence two years later, with both coaches playing a significant role in the team's success.

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Monday's match will mark Abdu Maikaba's first competitive game as the new head coach of the Flying Eagles, and he has expressed his desire to start the title defence with a win, having previously served as an assistant coach to the team.

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Maikaba has stated that his team is focused on achieving an outright victory against Ghana, as their primary objective is to retain the trophy, and a winning start is crucial to achieving this goal.

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The match between Nigeria and Ghana is scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. local time, which is 3 p.m. in Nigeria, and will take place at the Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro.

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Prior to the tournament, Nigeria played a friendly match against Athlétique Club de Zenuola on Thursday, emerging victorious with a 2-1 win, which has boosted their confidence ahead of the championship.

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The rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana is a long-standing one, dating back to 1951, and has produced many memorable matches across various levels of football, including senior, youth, and women's football.

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A win against Ghana would put Nigeria in a strong position to qualify for the semi-finals, with upcoming Group B fixtures against Togo and Burkina Faso, which will take place on July 30 and August 2, respectively.

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Nigeria's matches against Togo and Burkina Faso are scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. local time, which is 3 p.m. in Nigeria, and both matches will be played at the same venue as the match against Ghana.

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Hosts Ivory Coast are grouped in Group A alongside Benin Republic and Niger Republic, and will be looking to make the most of their home advantage in the tournament.