Nigeria, through the Flamingos, inched closer to an eighth appearance at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals on Saturday after a brace by Queen Joseph and one each by Zainab Raji and substitute Aishat Animashaun left Algeria’s U17 girls bedraggled in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, followed by a Naira rain.
There were bold hints of a massacre early in the day as the Flamingos attained the scoreboard only one minute into the match.
This was after Philomena Isaiah cut the ball back into the box from a corner for the lurking Queen Joseph to smash into the roof of the net.
Joseph, Zainab Raji, Muinat Rotimi, Kaosarat Olanrewaju and Shakirat Moshood swarmed on the Algerians time and again, and it was no surprise when in the 13th minute Raji received a sweet pass from Moshood, accounted for two defenders with a drop of the shoulder, and unleashed a rocket into the top corner.
The bold, audacious and vivacious approach of the Flamingos greatly unsettled the visitors, who apparently came to soak the pressure, and things got worse for them in the 17th minute when Joseph, left to dance into the box, struck a belter that left goalkeeper Amelia Yahiaoui with no chance.
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Layana Belgacem, captain Zaza Rebbahi, Mehdi Assia, Thania Ammar Parmentier, and Melissa Benchikh all tried to take the game to the Flamingos in a busy second period, but they were checkmated each time by the rearguard of Azeezat Oduntan, Christianah Sunday, Hannah Ibrahim, and Jumai Adebayo.
Just as the crowd that included the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau; NFF Executive Committee members: Sharif Rabiu Inuwa and Aisha Falode; General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, and Remo Stars FC Proprietor, Hon. Kunle Soname, were certain it had ended 3-0, substitute Animashaun pulled out a sublime one from outside the box, placing the ball in the far corner with goalkeeper Yahiaoui stranded.
Gusau announced a cash gift of the sum of N6 million for the girls after the match, explaining that N2 million is from the NFF, while N4 million is a gift from billionaire businessman Soname.
Gusau charged the girls to go to Algiers and play their hearts out to win the World Cup ticket for Nigeria.
Both teams will make it a date in the return at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida (outside Algiers) on Friday, with the winner on aggregate to qualify as one of Africa’s five flag-bearers at this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in Morocco.
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