By Enitan Abdultawab
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will return to camp on June 14 as preparations intensify for their decisive FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying clash against Benin Republic.
The team will resume training at the Remo Stars Sports Institute in Ikenne following a short break after their dominant performance against Guinea in the previous qualifying round.
Coached by Hakeem Busari, the Flamingos booked their place in the final round in emphatic fashion, thrashing Guinea 11-0 on aggregate.
The Nigerian side secured a commanding 5-0 victory away from home in the first leg before completing the job with a 6-0 win in the return fixture.
With qualification for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup now within reach, attention has shifted to Benin Republic, who stand as the final obstacle between Nigeria and a place at the global tournament.
Benin earned their spot in the last qualifying round after defeating Sierra Leone 5-1 on aggregate. The Amazons claimed a convincing 3-0 first-leg victory at Stade de Kégué in Lomé before sealing qualification with a 2-1 away win in the second leg.
The upcoming West African derby is expected to be fiercely contested, with both teams eyeing a coveted World Cup ticket.
The Flamingos, however, will be looking to build on their impressive qualifying campaign and secure another appearance on the world stage.
