Maikaba Hails Flying Eagles After Dramatic Win Over Côte d'Ivoire

Posted : 07 August 2026

Flying Eagles head coach Abdu Maikaba has described Côte d'Ivoire as the strongest team at the 2026 WAFU B U20 Championship after Nigeria eliminated the hosts to reach the tournament final.

The Flying Eagles secured their place in Sunday's final after defeating the Baby Elephants in a dramatic penalty shootout following a fiercely contested semi-final in Yamoussoukro.

Speaking after the victory, Maikaba applauded his players for their determination and resilience while acknowledging the quality of the Ivorian side.

"We played a very tough game against the host nation. I will confess that we met the best team of the tournament in this game. They played so well, but we were determined to get the win no matter the way, and we are glad that we got it in the end," he said.

The former Wikki Tourists coach revealed that Nigeria's technical crew carefully analysed Côte d'Ivoire before the match and identified weaknesses that the team successfully exploited during the contest.

"Tactically, we worked on our set-pieces very well. We lost from one, and we knew that if we practised them a lot, we could use them to our own advantage. We watched clips of Côte d'Ivoire against Niger and found that they struggled with long balls into the area. Coincidentally, we scored from two long throw-ins in the game," Maikaba explained.

Nigeria eventually prevailed in the penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Clinton Lawani emerging as one of the heroes by making two crucial saves. The Flying Eagles converted four of their first five penalties to seal victory and silence the home crowd.

Maikaba credited the team's composure during the shootout to the extensive preparation carried out in training before the semi-final.

"We practised penalties over the past few days because we knew the match could be decided that way. We prepared all the players who finished the match to take at least one penalty. We got it right because we scored four of our first five penalties, and we got the win," he added.

The victory sends Nigeria into the final, where the Flying Eagles will face Burkina Faso. The match will not only determine the WAFU B champions but also offer both teams the opportunity to secure qualification for the 2027 CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.

The Flying Eagles will head into the final with renewed confidence after overcoming one of the tournament favourites. Maikaba will hope his side can maintain their momentum and complete a successful campaign by lifting the regional title.

Maikaba Hails Flying Eagles After Dramatic Win Over Côte d'Ivoire

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