By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
FIFA World Cup bronze-medallists, Flamingos of Nigeria who arrived Cameroon yesterday will today begin training at Stade de la Reunification in Douala where they will take on their counterparts from Central African Republic (CAR) on Sunday in a second round, first leg African qualifiers of the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup billed for Dominican Republic
A 25-man Nigerian delegation made up of 18 players, coaching crew led by coach Olowookere Bankole, backroom staff and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) administrative officials left Abuja yesterday and have settled down for business in the Cameroonian city of Douala because the Central Africans have for many 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.
Speaking exclusively to Prompt News on the preparedness of the Flamingos, who won the bronze medals of the last edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup hosted by India, after a penalty shootout defeat of Germany, coach Bankole assured that they are in Cameroon for a serious business, adding that he has told the players the importance of the match against CAR.
“We have been training hard in the short time we have to prepare a new team to prosecute the match against the Central Africans and we will use the two days window before the match on Sunday in Douala to perfect our strategies to get a good result in Cameroon. We shall hold full training today (Friday) and do light training tomorrow to be ready for CAR clash”, Bankole stated. READ ALSO:
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Already, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Tunisian official Emna Ajbouni as referee, with her compatriots Khouloud Amri, Ameni Hammemi and Asma Chouchane as assistant 1, assistant 2 and fourth official respectively. Eugenie Mbainaye from Chad will serve as Match Commissioner.
For the second leg tie at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, February 10, 2024, 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 fourth 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.
