International Friendly: Flying Eagles Defeat Cote d’Ivoire 2-0 in Abidjan

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles secured a commanding 2-0 victory over Cote d’Ivoire’s Young Elephants in an international friendly match played at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan on Wednesday. The match, which is the first of two encounters between the teams, saw the seven-time African champions put on an impressive display against their Ivorian counterparts.

The breakthrough came in the 63rd minute, when captain Daniel Bameyi confidently converted a penalty after forward Divine Oliseh was fouled in the box. The Nigerians had dominated proceedings from the start, and despite numerous chances, the hosts managed to keep the scores level at halftime.

Determined to extend their lead, the Flying Eagles continued to push forward in the second half. Their persistence paid off in the 80th minute, as Divine Oliseh, who had been a menace to the Ivorian defense, sealed the victory with a well-taken goal.

Both teams will meet again at the same venue on Friday, as they continue preparations for the upcoming Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place from April 26 to May 18, 2025.

Tournament hosts Cote d’Ivoire will compete in Group A, where they face DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, and another Central African representative. Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles are drawn in Group B, alongside Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco, in what promises to be a highly competitive group stage.

With this morale-boosting victory, the Flying Eagles will be looking to maintain their momentum as they fine-tune their squad ahead of the continental showdown.