Morocco 2025: Motivated Flamingos Aim to Secure World Cup Spot in Blida

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria’s U17 girls, known as the Flamingos, are committed and prepared to secure Nigeria’s eighth spot at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup. The match takes place at Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida, just outside Algiers, on Friday night, amid a cold and tense atmosphere.

This game marks the final part of the qualifying rounds. The Flamingos lead 4-0 after the first leg. They are coming off strong performances, including a bronze medal at the 2022 India finals and reaching the quarter-finals in the last tournament held in the Dominican Republic.

The match is scheduled to start at 8pm, when stronger winds from the Mediterranean Sea are expected to blow. The team arrived in Algiers early on Wednesday via Turkish Airlines from Istanbul. They are motivated by the chance to qualify again for the World Cup and the financial rewards from Nigeria Football Federation and billionaire Kunle Soname.

Soname gave the players and officials N4million after their decisive win in Nigeria, which amounts to one million naira for each goal. The NFF added another N2million, or 500,000 naira per goal. Both the federation president, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and Soname confirmed similar payments for the second leg in Blida.

“Our goal is clear — we want to get the World Cup ticket,” said Head Coach Bankole Olowookere. “Winning is everything, but the money encourages us even more. My players will give their best on Friday.”

Olowookere, who led the team in their last two World Cup campaigns, will likely start with Queen Joseph, Zainab Raji, and Kaosarat Olanrewaju on the attack. Shakirat Moshood, Muinat Rotimi, and Philomena Isaiah will supply midfield passes. The team’s goalkeeper and captain, Christiana Uzoma, along with defenders Azeezat Oduntan, Hannah Ibrahim, Christiana Sunday, and Jumai Adebayo, are expected to start as well.

Cameroonian official Marie Noelle Etong has been chosen as referee. Her assistants are Marcelle Teikeu and Innocentia Ntangti, with Ngarassoum Victorine of Chad as the fourth official. Oumou Souleymane Kane from Mauritania will serve as commissioner, and Sabelo Maphosa-Sibindi from Zimbabwe as referee assessor.