Benin joined already qualified Ivory Coast in the semifinals of the WAFU-Zone B region of qualifying for the 2023 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, defeating Les Petits Éléphants by a score of 1-0 on Friday to top Group A. Spanish-based defender Bacharou Assolahan scored the lone goal to move the Squirrels into first place with seven points. Ivory Coast finish in second place with six points, sending both teams into the semifinals where one more win will see them qualify for the 2023 U-20 AFCON in Egypt.
In the other match, competition hosts Niger defeated Togo in a victory that ultimately was not enough to move the hosts into a top-2 spot. Massoudi Salifou scored the winner by sliding in to finish a corner kick that was flicked to the center of Togo’s six-yard box for the captain to finish. Niger finishes in third place with four points while Togo finish the competition without any points.
Highlights from Niger’s victory are below.
Niger 1-0 Togo
