Côte d’Ivoire beat Nigeria 1-0 in the WAFU-B U20 Championship final.
The tournament featured some of the strongest U-20 teams in West Africa, and Nigeria came in as the defending champions, having won the last two editions.
However, this year, the unbeaten Ivorian side proved to be the team to beat and ultimately halted Nigeria’s run.
Côte d’Ivoire also managed an impressive defensive record, not conceding a single goal throughout the knockout stage of the tournament.
In the final, Nigeria controlled much of the first half and created attacking opportunities but struggled to convert their chances.
The second half saw a more balanced contest as both teams fought hard, yet neither could break the deadlock. As the game seemed destined for a penalty shootout, late drama unfolded in stoppage time.
A long-range free-kick by Côte d’Ivoire was mishandled by the Nigerian goalkeeper. Dindane reacted quickly to slot in the rebound, sealing the victory and the championship for the Young Elephants.
Interestingly, a similar scenario unfolded at the senior level during the last AFCON tournament, where both Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire reached the final, with Côte d’Ivoire emerging as champions.
In the third-place match played earlier that day, Ghana defeated Niger 2-0 to claim the bronze medal.