Nigeria under-20 head coach Abdu Maikaba has moved to reassure fans that Sunday's 2-0 group-stage defeat to Burkina Faso will not shake his side's confidence heading into Wednesday's WAFU B U-20 Championship semi-final against hosts Côte d'Ivoire.

The Flying Eagles finished second in Group B following the loss, missing out on top spot. Maikaba, however, insists the result has sharpened rather than deflated his squad, with the players determined to deliver a stronger display in the knockout stage.

"Football is about learning, responding, and showing character in difficult moments. We will learn from this setback, stay united, and shift our full focus to the semi-final against hosts Côte d'Ivoire," Maikaba wrote on X.

The stakes in Abidjan could scarcely be higher. A place in the final and a berth at the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations are both on the line for Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire on Wednesday.

In the tournament's other semi-final, Burkina Faso will take on Niger Republic, with the winners of both ties meeting in the final.