U17 Women’s World Cup Qualifier: South Africa’s Bantwana gear up for Nigeria’s Flamingos battle

By Dayo Awoniyi

The South African U17 Women’s National Team, Bantwana, is leaving nothing to chance as they prepare for a thrilling second-round qualifier against Nigeria’s Flamingos for the Morocco 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.

With the first leg scheduled for March 8, 2025, and the return leg set for March 15, 2025, the team is intensifying its preparations with a one-week training camp from February 16-22, 2025.

Head Coach Ntombifuthi Khumalo, along with her assistant Rhoda Mulaudzi, is casting a wide net to discover fresh talent for the squad.

The duo has been scouring the country, conducting open trials and seeking out players who might have been overlooked in previous talent pools.

The first of these open trials will take place on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at the SAFA Technical Centre, where players from Gauteng will have the opportunity to showcase their skills and potentially earn a coveted spot in the squad.

The selected players will join the core team that displayed dominant form in the first round of qualifiers, securing an impressive 21-2 aggregate victory over Gabon.

With their eyes firmly set on qualifying for their third FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, Bantwana is fully committed to going all out against the Flamingos in what promises to be an epic showdown.

The rivalry between South Africa and Nigeria at the youth level has always been intense, and this qualifier is expected to be no different.

With both teams vying for a spot in the prestigious tournament, the atmosphere is sure to be electric as the competition heats up on the road to Morocco 2025.