Ivory Coast Dethrones Nigeria In Dramatic WAFU U-20 Championship Showdown!

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles suffered heartbreak in Accra as a last-gasp goal handed Ivory Coast a 1-0 victory in the final of the 2025 WAFU U-20 Boys Cup.

The high-stakes showdown between two unbeaten sides took place on Wednesday night, July 23, at the University of Ghana Stadium. Coach Aliyu Zubairu’s men aimed to defend their regional crown, while the Young Elephants of Ivory Coast were determined to complete a flawless campaign.

The encounter was tense and closely contested, with both teams struggling to break down each other’s disciplined defenses. Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Ebenezer Harcourt, was pivotal, pulling off several key saves, especially during a sustained Ivorian onslaught around the 60th minute — according to iReporter Online.

Just when extra time appeared inevitable, tragedy struck for Nigeria. In the 91st minute, a seemingly harmless free-kick into the Nigerian box caused chaos. Harcourt, after a solid performance, mishandled the ball under pressure, and Zakaria Tindano was quick to capitalize, smashing in the winner.

The goal not only handed Ivory Coast the title but also marked Tindano’s third strike of the tournament.

According to iReporter Online, the loss was a bitter end to what had been a promising run for the Flying Eagles, who had impressed with their poise and composure throughout the tournament.

In the third-place clash earlier, hosts Ghana delighted home fans by defeating Niger 2-0, with Aziz Musibau netting a penalty in the 70th minute and scoring again in the 78th from a Kelvin Nkrumah assist.

”IREPORTER REPORTS”