Nigeria 2-2 Kenya: Flying Eagles Secure Quarterfinal Spot Despite Draw in Final U-20 AFCON Group Game
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria played out an exciting 2-2 draw against Kenya in their final group game at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Wednesday, May 7.
The Junior Harambee Stars of Kenya took an early lead when Kevin Wangaya Injehu converted a penalty in the sixth minute after a defensive error by Nigeria.
However, the Flying Eagles responded swiftly. In the 13th minute, Kparobo Nathaniel Arierhi equalized with a powerful finish, leveling the score before halftime.
Despite Nigeria’s dominance in possession, Kenya once again went ahead in the 68th minute through William Gitamu, who finished off a swift counterattack.
Nigeria’s resilience showed when they were awarded a penalty just five minutes later. Captain Daniel Bameyi stepped up confidently and scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute.
Both sides had chances late in the game, but neither could find a winner as the match ended 2-2.
Group Stage Overview
-
The Flying Eagles began their U-20 AFCON journey with a narrow 1-0 victory over Tunisia.
-
They followed that up with a goalless draw against Morocco – read the full match report here
-
With today’s draw against Kenya, Nigeria finished second in their group to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
-
Unfortunately, the result meant Kenya exited the tournament after failing to secure a win in the group stage.
CAF official U-20 AFCON page: CAF U-20 AFCON Official Website
What’s Next for Nigeria?
The Flying Eagles now advance to the knockout stages, where they will face the winners of another group. Coach Aliyu Zubairu will be looking to sharpen his team’s attack and tighten the defense as they chase U-20 AFCON glory.
