U17 WWC: Ifeanyi nets winner as Flamingos edge Benin 3-2

n n

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Benin Republic’s young Amazons at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, on Saturday, taking a crucial advantage into the second leg of the final round of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

n

The visitors stunned the home crowd in the 16th minute when Romaine Gandonou finished off a brilliant solo run to hand Benin an early lead, but Nigeria responded five minutes later through Queen Joseph, who rose highest to power home a header and restore parity.

n

The Flamingos took control after the break, with Oluwakemi Adegbuyi tapping in from close range in the 62nd minute after Kindness Ifeanyi’s initial effort was parried by the Benin goalkeeper.

n

Benin hit back through Nazifatou Dangui to level the contest at 2-2, before Ifeanyi reacted quickest inside the box in the 75th minute to restore Nigeria’s lead and seal a vital home win.

n

Head coach, Akeem Busari, had said ahead of the game that his side expected a fiercely contested encounter, with the return leg scheduled for July 11 in Benin Republic and one of Africa’s four qualification slots for the Morocco finals at stake.

n

“When it comes to the U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, it is always a gritty contest. Nigeria has consistently been one of the contenders, so it is always a tug of war,” Busari said before the match.

n

Nigeria entered the final round on the back of an 11-0 aggregate victory over Guinea, having also won three warm-up friendlies without conceding a goal, with captain Harmony Chidi scoring five times across the Guinea ties. Chidi had expressed confidence in the squad’s preparations ahead of the first leg.

n

“We have worked so hard and our coaches have given us everything. We believe in ourselves, and we want to make Nigerians proud,” Chidi said.

n

Elsewhere in the final round of African qualifying, Senegal face Ghana, Zambia take on Ethiopia, while South Africa battle Kenya for the remaining continental slots at the global finals.

n n