The Flying Eagles beat Ghana 2-0 Wednesday at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar, to reach the final of the 19th edition of the African U-20 Championship.
A goal in each half from Obinna Nwobodo and Musa Muhammed ensured Nigeria confirmed their place in the ultimate game of the championship.
Nigeria met their toughest opponent yet in a Ghana team that took control of the game from the onset.
For the first time, the Flying Eagles were exposed and were found wanting as the Ghanaians did not allow them to play their game. By the quarter-hour mark, the Flying Eagles had yet to find their rhythm.
Midfielder Yaw Yeboah and lanky forward Benjamin Tetteh gave the Nigerian defence so much to worry about, but it was the diminutive Yeboah who remained their biggest threat.
On 10 minutes, Nigeria goalie, Joshua Enaholo, by far the busier of the half was forced to palm away Yeboah shot from a free-kick at the edge of the penalty area.
But it was the Nigerians who broke the deadlock with a rare chance from a corner kick on 22 minutes. Ifeanyi Matthew laid a cross that met the head of Obinna Nwobodo, and the ball will hit the post before rolling into the net for the opener.
On the half-hour mark, a three-man move by the Satellites saw Aboagye square to Tetteh, and he laid to Yeboah who fired a shot that flew across the face of goal to the relief of the Flying Eagles.
The same partnership will lead to yet another chance three minutes, with Tetteh at the receiving end of a Aboagye pass, but his shot missed target narrowly.
Ghana defender Patrick Asmah fell Ifeanyi for a penalty on 70 minutes.
Captain Musa Muhammed converted nicely past Ghana goalie Michael Sai to cushion the lead.
The Nigerians held on to cruise to victory and book their date against the winner of the other semi-final between Mali and Senegal on Thursday in the final on Sunday.
