Nigeria beat Senegal 3-1 on penalties to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2025. The match, held at the Suez Canal Stadium on Monday, ended 0-0 after both regulation and extra time.
With this win, Nigeria qualified for U20 World Cup in Chile and they moved closer to their eighth U20 AFCON title, while Senegal reflects on their strong campaign.
In this intense quarter-final match, both teams had chances to score but could not find the net after 120 minutes. Nigeria, unbeaten in the group stage, stayed composed during the shootout.
Precious Benjamin, Emmanuel Chukwu, and Israel Ayuma scored their penalties, while Senegal struggled, with Pierre Dorival’s shot saved, Mame Mor Faye’s attempt stopped, and Ousmane Konaté hitting the crossbar. Seydi Diouck scored Senegal’s only penalty, but it wasn’t enough.
Nigeria’s victory marks their eighth consecutive quarter-final win at the U20 AFCON. They will advance to the semi-finals, maintaining their perfect record in quarter-finals.
Both teams had opportunities in open play, with Nigeria’s Kparobo Arierhi and Divine Oliseh forcing saves from Senegal’s goalkeeper, Mouhamed Sissokho. Senegal’s Cheikh Thiam nearly scored, hitting the post in the 42nd minute.
During extra time, Nigeria pushed hard, but despite several attempts, the score remained tied. Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Ebenezer Harcourt, made a crucial save against Mame Mor Faye’s penalty kick.
After the game, Nigeria’s head coach, Ladan Bosso, praised his team’s resilience, saying, “We prepared for all scenarios, including penalties. I’m proud of the boys for executing under pressure.”
