Qualified for the Morocco 2027 U17 AFCON after their semi-final win over Ghana, the Éléphanteaux of Ivory Coast face Niger this Friday 23 October at the Stade du 4-Août in Ouagadougou, in the final of the UFOA-B U17 tournament.
The Stade du 4-Août in Ouagadougou hosts the final of the UFOA-B U17 qualifying tournament between Ivory Coast and Niger this Friday 23 October, according to Foot Africa and Les Nouvelles du Foot. Both national teams are already assured of playing at the Morocco 2027 U17 AFCON, and kick-off will bring two weeks of sub-regional competition staged in Burkina Faso, from 10 to 23 October, to a close.
The Éléphanteaux qualified on Tuesday 20 October by beating Ghana’s Black Starlets 1-0 in the semi-final. The only goal of the match was scored by centre-back Fousseni Alex Bamba, set up by an assist from Landry Bazongo, midfielder and forward.
Bamba, the scorer against Ghana
Centre-back Fousseni Alex Bamba scored the only goal of the semi-final, according to Foot Africa. CAF subsequently named him Man of the Match at the end of the game.
Landry Bazongo, midfielder and forward, provided the assist for that goal. On the medical side, every player selected by Serges Bougouyou, the U17 national team coach, had passed the preliminary MRI tests organised by the FIF with the CIMA centre in Abidjan, Foot Africa reports.
Two draws in the group, then a third final in a row
In the group stage, Ivory Coast recorded two 1-1 draws, against Niger and then against Nigeria.
This final is nothing new for the Éléphanteaux: it is their third consecutive final in this UFOA-B regional competition, according to Foot Africa. Niger, for their part, also qualified for the 2027 AFCON by reaching the final of the West B zone tournament.
A regional title to be won at the 4-Août
On Friday in Ouagadougou, the two teams already qualified for Morocco will therefore play for the regional trophy. Ivory Coast meet Niger again, having already faced them in the group stage in a 1-1 draw, this time with a title at stake.
Kick-off in the final will close the sub-regional competition in Burkina Faso, which began on 10 October. Whatever the outcome of the match, both finalists will be at the Morocco 2027 U17 AFCON.