Nigeria’s under-20 men’s team, the Flying Eagles, lost 1-0 to Burkina Faso on Friday in their opening game at the WAFU B U20 Championship in Lome, Togo, Afrosport reports.
Coached by El-Kanemi Warriors manager Aliyu Zubairu, the Flying Eagles did not get off to the best of starts in their title defence as they fell to a 67th minute goal from Fandino Dramane Coulibaly inside the Municipal Stadium.
The youngster finished emphatically with a well-taken strike to cap off their dominance in the second half after Nigeria failed to take advantage of their control in the opening period.
Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions held on for the win to go atop the three-team Group B, which also has Cote d’Ivoire. They will face the Ivorians next on Monday in their second group match, while the Flying Eagles must regroup and focus on their decisive clash with the same opponent on Thursday, October 24.
The ongoing championship in Togo is a qualifying tournament for next year’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations, and only the top two teams in the group will progress into the semi-final, while the finalists are assured of a place at the AFCON.
