Defending champions Nigeria will begin the defence of their WAFU B U-20 Championship crown with a blockbuster Group B encounter against arch-rivals Ghana on Monday in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The highly anticipated fixture is a repeat of the 2024 final in Lomé, Togo, where the Flying Eagles defeated the Black Satellites 2-1 to retain the regional title after first lifting the trophy in Niamey in 2022.
Former head coach Isa Ladan Bosso guided Nigeria to the 2022 triumph, while Aliyu Zubairu led the Flying Eagles to back-to-back titles with last year's victory over Ghana.
Monday's clash will also mark the competitive debut of new Flying Eagles head coach Abdu Maikaba, who previously served as an assistant with the national U-20 team. The experienced tactician has made his intentions clear ahead of the opening fixture.
"We are going for an outright victory against Ghana because our objective is to retain the trophy, and we have to start winning our matches from day one," Maikaba said.
The Group B opener will be played at the Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro, with kick-off scheduled for 2:00 p.m. local time (3:00 p.m. Nigeria time).
Nigeria head into the tournament with confidence after recording a 2-1 victory over Athlétique Club de Zuenoula in a preparatory friendly last Thursday.
The encounter adds another chapter to one of African football's most enduring rivalries. Since their first meeting in 1951, Nigeria and Ghana have produced numerous memorable contests across different age-grade competitions as well as senior men's and women's football.
A positive result against Ghana would significantly boost Nigeria's hopes of reaching the semi-finals in the four-team Group B, which also features Togo and Burkina Faso.
The Flying Eagles will return to action against Togo's Junior Sparrow Hawks on July 30 before concluding their group-stage campaign against Burkina Faso's Young Stallions on August 2, with both matches taking place at the Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro.
Group A consists of hosts Côte d'Ivoire, Benin Republic and Niger Republic.