Nigeria faces what looks like a Herculean task when they meet Burkina Faso on Sunday in their quest to qualify for the African U-20 Cup of Nations.

The Burkinabes defeated Nigeria 2-0 when they met earlier in the championship at the group stage. The West Africans also defeated Niger Republic 2-0 after extra time in the semifinals of the competition, while Nigeria saw off hosts Cote D’Ivoire 4-3 on penalties after scores were tied at 2-2.

The Flying Eagles are the defending champions of the sub-regional tournament after they beat Ghana 2-1 in the 2024 edition of the competition.

A lot is riding on this final game as only the champions of WAFU B will advance to the 2027 U20 AFCON to be hosted by Ghana.