Nigeria’s Flamingoes have advanced into the third round of the 2022 U-17 women’s World Cup qualifiers, after thrashing DR Congo 5-0 in Saturday’s second leg tie in Benin City.
The Bankole Olowookere-led side qualified for the next round 8-0 on aggregate after winning the reverse fixture 3-0.
Flamingoes opened scoring in the 5th minute through Opeyemi Ajakaye and made it 2-0 in the 14th minute.
In the 23rd minute the Flamingoes went 3-0 up this time through Oluwatunmininu Adeshina.
The Nigerian girls continued to probe for more goals and were rewarded in the 62nd minute this time off the boots of Atume Doosuur.
And with two minutes left Taiwo Afolabi completed the rout by adding the fifth goal.
Three teams will represent Africa at this year’s U-17 women’s World Cup in India which will run from 11th to 30th October.
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_ Flamingos Run Riot! _
With a keenly contested encounter expected, it ended up being a slaughter house in Benin as Nigeria’s fierce Flamingos tore their Congolese counterparts to shreds with 5 savage goals to nil in the second leg 2022 Under-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifier.
Opeyemi Ajakaye’s brace in the 5th and 14th minutes set the ball rolling. When Oluwatunmininu Adeshina made it 3:0 for Nigeria in just 23 minutes, the Congolese coaching crew was shell-shocked, and their players on the pitch no less so, for their inability to contain the rampaging Falconets was going to cost them more than hurt pride.
By the time Doosur Atume and Taiwo Afolabi added spice to the score-line-jollof-rice with their neat efforts in 62 and 88 minutes respectively, the stuffing had been mercilessly knocked out of the disconsolate Congolese.
5:0 it ended.
Having neatly navigated the first leg with 3 unrequited goals, it means an 8-0 aggregate scoreline effectively powers the Flamingos to the semi-finals of the qualifiers where they now face Egypt.
This was a supremely heartwarming win from these delightful damsels who did themselves and all Nigeria fans immensely proud in a manner that maintained the nation as a pacesetter in African women’s football.
Additionally, it has been a wonderful March thus far for Nigeria’s underaged women’s team. The older Falconets won Senegal 3:1 away last weekend whilst these flamboyant Flamingos just completed a ruthless double against Congo.
Despite a healthy lead from the first leg, Coach Bankole Olowookere had said the job wasn’t done and that his girls ‘would approach this match as if they hadn’t won the first leg’. Still, no one had expected broad daylight massacre in Benin!
Taiwo Afolabi, whose terrific goal made it 5:0, said before this game: “the coach pointed out our mistakes from the first leg and we will be sure not not to make the same mistakes at home.”
And indeed there can be no mistake about the score line. This was a dominant display from a dominant Flamingos who will now aim to soar all the way to the World Cup finals in India later in the year.