Salé, Morocco – Na dis Sunday, Nigeria’s Flamingos go start their journey for global football glory as dem face Canada for dia opening match of di U-17 Women’s World Cup at di Mohammed VI Football Academy. This match no be small matter; e be like homecoming as di biggest women’s youth football tournament don finally land for African soil!
Na so, naija girls don dey prepare reach dis point since dis tournament begin for 2008. Dis na dem eighth time wey dem dey come represent Africa wey don carry di flag for many editions. Flamingos don build better reputation for di tournament as Africa’s most consistent U-17 team. Dem don collect semi-finals ticket twice and dey shine like diamond when dem seize third position last time for 2022. History show say out of 28 matches, dem don win 14, draw 7 and lose 7; e mean say dem sabi wetin dem dey do!
Coach Bankole Olowookere, no dey play as he don reshape di Flamingos into a team wey sabi high pressing and quick play. E don prepare dem well as dem no lose any domestic warm-up game before dem waka go Morocco, where dem use Paraguay chop 3-2 and narrowly lose to New Zealand 4-3. E mean say dem get better attacking skill but still need tightening for defense because Canada no dey slack.
Di match against Canada no be just for three points; e get extra weight. As dem go start Group D campaign alongside France and Samoa, dis match go show how dem go handle World Cup spotlight. Canada dey come back after dem miss di last edition, and dem still dey known as one of di big players for youth women football.
Na dis same two nations meet for U-17 World Cup back in 2012 for Azerbaijan. Di first encounter end for 1-1 draw, but Flamingos still do well by crushing host nation Azerbaijan 11-0, wey still remain di biggest win for di tournament history. Fast forward twelve years, e don change, and dem no be underdog again; dem dey expected to contend seriously.
But dis journey no go complete without one wahala. Chidi Harmony, one of di main female strikers, dey miss di tournament due to injury. E no go fit play, but Captain Shakirat Moshood dey enter spotlight. She na di heartbeat of di team, and her experience go help dem well for dis match. Since she shine for di Dominican Republic last year, scoring four goals, people don dey check her out as candidate for di 2025 CAF Young Player of di Year award.
Nigeria dey join four other African teams for Morocco: di hosts Morocco, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Zambia. After Morocco fall under Brazil hand 3-0 in di opening match, all eyes don turn for di Flamingos to regain di continent glory. If dem perform well, e go boost naija and Africa level in women’s youth football.
Group D no be play-play group. France dey carry pedigree, Canada dey carry strength, and Samoa dey bring wahala. Each match go test Nigeria own mind and strength. But one thing wey history don show be say when di Flamingos start well, dem fit fly pass wetin people dey expect.
Morocco 2025 fit give dem chance for revenge and legacy. As di referee blow di whistle for Salé, e no go just be World Cup opener, but a call to di world say: a new generation of Nigerian girls dey ready to chase history on African land. Flamingos don always dey play with gra-gra, and now dem get di continent behind dem!
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