Nigeria's Flying Eagles have qualified for the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Burkina Faso in their final Group B match.

The encounter saw Burkina Faso secure a deserved victory with two first-half goals, but Nigeria's earlier performances in the group stage were enough to secure their place in the knockout round.

The Flying Eagles had started their campaign impressively, defeating Ghana 4-2 in their opening match before recording a convincing 3-0 victory over Togo to strengthen their qualification chances.

Burkina Faso took control of the match when they opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through a header from a well-executed corner kick. The West Africans doubled their lead 13 minutes later with a spectacular free-kick from about 30 yards that beat the Nigerian goalkeeper.

Although the defeat ended Nigeria's unbeaten start to the competition, the Flying Eagles' victories in their opening two matches had already guaranteed their progression to the semi-finals. The team will now turn their attention to the knockout stage as they continue their pursuit of the WAFU B title and a place at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which the tournament serves as a qualifier for.

— CHANNELS