Photo Credit: CAF/Instagram
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have booked their place at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile after a thrilling penalty shootout victory over defending champions Senegal in the quarterfinal of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
It was a nail-biting contest at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia, where both sides fought hard through regular and extra time, ending goalless. In the shootout, Nigeria came out on top with a 3-1 win, thanks in large part to the brilliance of 15-year-old goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt. The young shot-stopper saved two of Senegal’s penalties, while Ousmane Konate fired his attempt against the woodwork.
Precious Benjamin, Emmanuel Chukwu and Israel Ayuma kept their cool to convert Nigeria’s penalties, sending the Flying Eagles to the semi-final—and more importantly, securing one of the continent’s four tickets to the World Cup.
The win was more than just a step towards the AFCON title, it was also sweet payback for Nigeria, who lost 1-0 to Senegal in the group stage of the last edition in 2023. This time, they held their nerve and proved the stronger side when it mattered most.
Nigeria will now face the winner of the quarterfinal between South Africa and DR Congo in the semis, with their eyes set on a record-extending eighth U-20 AFCON title.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau, praised the team’s performance and urged them to stay focused on the bigger goal: “The ticket to the World Cup was the first objective and we have achieved that. The second objective is to win the trophy, and I’ve reminded the team that the country is waiting for them to bring it home.”
With this result, Nigeria becomes the first team to reach the semi-finals of the 2025 U-20 AFCON. They’ll be joined by Egypt and Morocco, who also progressed after winning their respective quarterfinal clashes.
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲: unlocked. 🔓🌍
Nigeria earned their spot at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025! 🇳🇬 #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 pic.twitter.com/IwaGnsSMST
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) May 12, 2025
