Flamingos ease past S’Africa to reach final round of WC qualifier

Flamingos of Nigeria have advanced to the final round of the U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. 

The team defeated South Africa 2-0 in the return leg of the second round of the qualifier at the Remo Stars stadium, Ikenne, on Saturday.

Nigeria had beaten the South African 3-1 in the first leg played in Pretoria a week ago.

Harmony Chidi, who scored a brace in the first leg victory, added to her tally in this easy win, with Aishat Animashaun also on the scoresheet as Nigeria sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory over their opponents.

The Flamingos dominated the early exchanges and created a couple of half-chances that were easily dealt with by South Africa’s goalkeeper.

The Bankole Olowookere’s side had to wait until the 37th minute for the breakthrough from Chidi, the team’s top marksman and leading goalscorer.

The 15-year-old striker finally found her way through when a well-worked free-kick was lofted to her at the back post and free-scoring Chidi planted a header into the net for a 1-0 lead maintained going into halftime.

The South Africans improved after the break but were not clinical in the final third and their hosts made them pay in the 56th minute when Animashaun saw the South African goalkeeper off her line and lifted a 20-yard chipped shot into the net to drain any fighting spirit the Batwana girls had left.

Nigeria will next face Algeria or Botswana in the third and final round of qualifying for the FIFA 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup set to be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 8.