By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
FIFA World Cup bronze-medallists, Flamingos of Nigeria were in killer mood on Sunday as they thrashed their counterparts from Central African Republic (CAR) 6-0 in the first leg, second round of the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African qualifiers match played at Stade de la Reunification in Douala, Cameroon.
It took only five minutes before forward Harmony Chidi opened scores for Nigeria while Prisca Nwachukwu made it two goals for the Coach Olowookere Bankole’s team in the 39th minute just as Chidi scored her brace in the 42nd minute. Shakirat Moshood added the fourth goal for Nigeria in the 45th minute.
Also, Edidiong Etim, a remenant of the FIFA U-17 World Cup bronze medals winning squad scored Nigeria’s fifth goal in the 57th minute while Moshood added the sixth goal and her brace in the 72nd minute of the match.
Efforts by the Central Africans who have for some years now made Douala home, as a result of lack of an approved stadium for international matches in Bangui or any other city in their country, to get something from the encounter with Nigeria proved abortive as the more organised Nigerians shut down their opponents and limited them to occasional attacks which were not enough to trouble the Flamingos who will return home on Monday.
The second leg tie will hold at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, February 10, 2024 just as CAF has picked Moroccan official Zakia El Grini as center referee, with her compatriots Ihsane Ennouajeli Nouajli, Karima Khadiri and Sabah Sadir in the roles of assistant 1, assistant 2 and 4th official respectively. Naa Odofoley Nortey from Ghana will be the Match Commissioner.
Nigeria have appeared at every edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals except one, in the 2018 finals in Uruguay. The 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is billed for Dominican Republic.
