Nigeria began their Wafu B U20 Championship title defence in emphatic fashion with a 4-2 victory over Ghana in a high-scoring West African derby in Yamoussoukro.
The Flying Eagles surged to the top of Group B after a fast start and a late penalty from Muiz Adeleke, overcoming a spirited response from the Black Satellites in Monday’s encounter.
Nigeria took control early on when Olayemi Ayinla opened the scoring in the sixth minute, giving the defending champions the perfect platform in their first match of the tournament.
Ghana responded midway through the first half as Mohammed Zaidan levelled the contest in the 23rd minute, briefly swinging the momentum towards the Black Satellites.
But Nigeria quickly reasserted themselves. Oraro Lucky restored the lead for the Flying Eagles on the half-hour mark, before Adeleke struck his first of the night on 40 minutes to send the holders into the interval with a 3-1 advantage.
Ghana fight back but Nigeria hold firm
Ghana came out after the break determined to drag themselves back into the game and were handed a lifeline from the penalty spot.
Kelvin Nkrumah converted the penalty to reduce the deficit, giving the Black Satellites renewed hope as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Under mounting pressure, Nigeria were forced to defend deeper at times, but the Flying Eagles stayed organised and resisted Ghana’s attempts to overturn the deficit.
Late penalty seals opening win
As the match moved into its closing stages, Ghana continued to attack but left spaces at the back, which Nigeria looked to exploit on the counter.
The decisive moment came in the 89th minute when Nigeria were awarded a penalty of their own. Adeleke stepped up to score his second goal of the game, making it 4-2 and effectively ending any chance of a late Ghanaian comeback.
The result gives Nigeria an ideal start in Group B and strengthens their position as favourites to progress from the pool.
Path towards U20 Afcon
Nigeria will face Togo in their next group match as they aim to build on this promising opening performance and maintain momentum in their title defence.
The Wafu B U20 Championship serves as a qualifying tournament for the next U20 Africa Cup of Nations, adding significant importance to every group-stage fixture for both Nigeria and Ghana.
