By Amaechi Agbo
Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, will on Wednesday fly out of the country to South Africa for the first of their two-leg FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against the U17 girls of South Africa, known as Bantwana.
The match, for which the Confederation of African Football has selected Kenyan officials to suprintend, will kick off at 3pm South Africa time (2pm Nigeria) on Saturday, 8th March at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital.
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has selected 19 players, with goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, defenders Hannah Ibrahim and Jumai Adebayo, midfielders Shakirat Moshood and Muinat Rotimi, and forwards Harmony Chidi and Chisom Nwachukwu included.
While 2022 FIFA World Cup bronze medallists Nigeria drew bye to the second round, Bantwana crushed their counterparts from Gabon 21-2 on aggregate.
CAF has appointed Josephine Wanjiku as referee, with her compatriots Mary Njoroge, Elizabeth Njoroge and Juma Lucy Awino to serve as assistant 1, assistant 2 and fourth official respectively.
Cindy Barbara Dludlu from eSwatini will be the commissioner, with Moroccan Khadija Rezzag to be in the role of referee assessor.
Both teams will battle things out in the return leg at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne-Remo on Saturday, 15th March, with the winner on aggregate progressing to the third round of the qualification campaign.
This year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup will be hosted by Morocco, 17 October – 8 November, with Africa to present 5 teams (including host nation Morocco) at the finals, which has been expanded to a 24-nation championship.
19 FLAMINGOS FOR FOR SOUTH AFRICA:
Christiana Uzoma, Onyinyechi Opara, Hannah Ibrahim, Jumai Adebayo, Temilade Fafore, Shavih Istifanus, Taiwo Adegoke, Shakirat Moshood, Muinat Rotimi, Azeezat Oduntan, Philomena Ochanya, Aishat Animashaun, Elizabeth Boniface, Queen Joseph, Olamide Olanrewaju, Chisom Nwachukwu, Harmony Chidi, Favour Iheagwaram, Christiana Sunday
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
