The 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup will be held in New Zealand later this year, and the four teams that will so far be making the trip to the country on behalf of the African continent include Nigeria, Ghana, Mali and Senegal.
These four junior national teams reached the semi-finals of the ongoing African Youth Championship in Senegal during the past few days following a selection of round robin encounter in two groups of four teams each.
The fourth semi-finalist Senegal and U20 World Cup qualifier was known on Saturday following the last group matches in Group A.
Nigeria became the first team to qualify for the junior World Cup after defeating Congo 4-1 in their Group A encounter on Wednesday at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar.
Skipper Musa Muhamed’s brace added to goals from Ifeanyi Matthew and Taiwo Awoniyi to secure the comfortable victory and see their way to the semi-finals of the AYC.
On Thursday Ghana and Mali joined Nigeria as further qualifiers from Africa for the U20 World Cup. Ghana defeated Zambia 2-1 to secure their progression to the semis.
The Junior Chipolopolo of Zambia went ahead in the match thanks to a goal from Dave Daka in the second minute, but the Black Satellites settled and equalised through Abraham Attobrah before going ahead with a strike from substitute Samuel Afful.
Ghana is now tie with fellow semi-finalists Mali on six points after two wins each.
All the action in the Mali match took place in the late stages of the game, with a South African penalty on 71 minutes putting them ahead before two goals from Hamidou Traore on 77 and 86 minutes won the game for the West Africans.
In the semi-finals of the African Youth Championships the second placed side between Mali and Ghana in Group B will take on Nigeria and the other will face Senegal the side that finished second in Group A.
All four semi-finalists will be guaranteed of a spot in New Zealand to represent the continent on the world stage.