CAF U-20 AFCON: South Africa Knock Out Flying Eagles Of Nigeria

South Africa secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Nigeria’s Flying Eagles in the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final at the Suez Canal Stadium earlier today, May 15.

The decisive moment of the match came in the 66th minute when Tylon Smith scored with a well-placed header, marking his first goal of the tournament.

This victory also meant that Nigeria’s hopes of claiming a record eighth U-20 AFCON title came to an end as South Africa claimed a spot in the U-20 AFCON final in Egypt

Despite being dominant for significant stretches of the second half, the Flying Eagles were unable to convert their chances, especially in the closing moments. South African keeper Fletcher Lowe made a series of crucial saves against attempts from Emmanuel Chukwu and Israel Ayuma to secure the win.

The match started with both teams taking a cautious approach, testing each other without creating clear opportunities. Nigeria’s Tahir Maigana and South Africa’s Kutlwano Letlhaku both had early shots saved. The first half concluded without goals, despite Nigeria’s greater attacking efforts.

The breakthrough arrived shortly after the hour mark when Neo Rapoo delivered a corner from the right, allowing Smith to rise above the defense and head the ball decisively into the center of the goal.

In response, Nigeria urgently sought to equalize, making double substitutions in the 65th minute to refresh their attack. Rickson Mendos and Bidemi Amole quickly made their presence felt, coming close in a series of late attempts on the South African goal.

Ayuma had notable opportunities to level the score, including a diving header that was expertly saved by Lowe. However, South Africa’s solid defensive work and composed play in midfield allowed them to maintain their lead, extending their unbeaten streak at the Suez Canal Stadium to four matches.

This win marks South Africa’s return to the U-20 AFCON final for the first time since 1997, when they finished as runners-up. For Nigeria, this match represents a third consecutive semi-final defeat in the tournament, following previous losses to Gambia (2023) and Mali (2019).

Note that the Flying Eagles have already qualified for the forthcoming FIFA Under-20 World Cup thanks to their qualification for the CAF U-20 AFCON semi-final.