May 07, (THEWILL) – The WAFU Zone B Under-20 Championship 2022, will begin on Saturday in the Nigerien capital of Niamey, with the hosts hoping for a surprise title victory among the seven competing teams.
In the competition, which also serves as qualification for the TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations, the home side will face title holders, Ghana and Nigeria, two continental football heavyweights.
Niger will begin the tournament in Group A against Cote d’Ivoire at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché in a tense match that should provide plenty of entertainment for football fans.
Both countries will like to start their campaigns on a high note after missing out on the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Mauritania.
On Saturday also, Togo and Benin will play at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché after the opening encounter of Group A.
The reigning champions, Ghana, will face Nigeria, the most titled team in the league, in a crucial match on Sunday. The match will be hosted at the same site in Niamey, with Nigeria expected to have a lot of support due to the large number of Nigerians living in Niger.
The Flying Eagles have won the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations seven times, however they were eliminated in the most recent tournament in Mauritania.
At the Stade Charles De Gaulles in Porto Novo, Benin, the Black Satellites came from behind to defeat Burkina Faso 2-1 to clinch the 2020 Championship.
Because Group B only has three teams, Burkina Faso will be on standby on matchday one. On matchday two, the Young Stallions will begin their campaign.
The top four teams will advance to the FIFA U20 World Cup, which will be contested later that year in Indonesia. Egypt will host the next U20 Africa Cup of Nations competition from February 18 to March 12, 2023.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
