The Black Satellites will face Niger in the third-place final of the 2025 WAFU Zone B U20 Boys Cup after falling short in their semi-final clash against Ivory Coast on Sunday.

The game ended 2-1 in favour of the Young Elephants, who exacted revenge for their loss to Ghana during last year’s U20 AFCON Qualifiers in Togo.

The semi-final, played at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, saw Ghana take an early lead just under two minutes into the match. Defender Benjamin Tsivanyo found the back of the net to give the hosts a dream start. However, Ivory Coast responded with resilience and purpose.

The Ivorians equalized just 5 minutes later when their captain Bamba Kouddousse calmly converted a penalty. The turning point came late in the second half when midfielder Ali Kone unleashed a thunderous long-range effort to seal the win and book their place in the final.

With the loss, Ghana now shifts focus to the third-place final, where they will lock horns with Niger. The Nigeriens were eliminated in the other semi-final after a penalty shootout defeat to Nigeria following a goalless draw in regulation time.

The third-place game is scheduled for Wednesday at 15:00 GMT at the University of Ghana Stadium. It will serve as the curtain-raiser for the highly anticipated final between Nigeria and Ivory Coast later that evening.

This year marks the third edition of the WAFU B U20 Boys Cup, a developmental tournament designed to offer competitive exposure to West African youth teams.

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