Nigeria's Flamingos crush Niger 5-0 in WAFU B U-17 Girls' Cup opener
Nigeria's Flamingos opened their 2026 WAFU B U-17 Girls' Cup campaign with a commanding 5-0 victory over Niger Republic in Yamoussoukro, Cote d'Ivoire on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Harmony Chidi struck in the 16th minute, Awawu Bashiru doubled the lead in the 35th, Ohunene Sunday made it 3-0 in the 83rd, Mary Dunstan headed home a minute later, and Ayomide Rotimi added the fifth in the fourth minute of added time to seal the win for Coach Akeem Busari's side.
The emphatic result gives the Flamingos a strong start as they prepare for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco and signals readiness for their next challenge - a Jollof derby against arch-rivals Ghana scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2026. Busari said Niger's deep defensive block offered valuable lessons, noting his team created chances but wasted many in the first half despite the comfortable scoreline.
He praised Niger's young, energetic squad, saying there is little difference between the two teams and that building such sides takes time. Busari also pointed to rising standards across African women's football, predicting more young talent will emerge in the coming years. The Flamingos will now focus on improving conversion and maintaining possession as they target World Cup success.
Considering the Flamingos' strong start, will they maintain this form against Ghana and translate it to World Cup performance, or do they need to address finishing and tactical discipline first?