Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, delivered a commanding performance on Saturday, securing a 3-1 victory over South Africa’s Bantwana in the first leg of their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier.
The thrilling encounter at the Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium in Pretoria saw Nigeria assert early dominance, with Shakirat Moshood opening the scoring in the 20th minute.
Moshood, who previously made headlines with her four-goal feat at the last U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, once again showcased her goal-scoring prowess.
Building on their momentum, Nigeria doubled their advantage before halftime when Harmony Chidi, one of the team’s most prolific forwards, confidently converted a penalty after being fouled inside the box. Chidi, who netted an impressive 13 goals in the qualifiers for the last World Cup, continued to prove her worth as a key asset for the Flamingos.
South Africa briefly reignited their hopes early in the second half when Malebana converted a penalty just two minutes after the restart, reducing the deficit to 2-1. However, Nigeria remained unfazed, and in the 68th minute, Harmony Chidi struck again, sealing her brace and restoring the Flamingos’ two-goal cushion.
Decisive Return Leg in Ikenne-Remo
With this victory, Nigeria takes a strong lead heading into the return leg, scheduled for next Saturday at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo. The Flamingos will look to consolidate their advantage and secure their place in the final round of the qualification series.
The stakes remain high, as only four teams from this qualification phase will join hosts Morocco as Africa’s representatives at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, set to take place from October 17 to November 5.
As the countdown to the return leg begins, Nigeria’s young stars remain focused on their mission—booking a spot at the prestigious global tournament and making the nation proud once again.
