WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Huge win as Burundi hit Djibouti for 18 in U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers
Burundi took a giant stride towards the final qualifying round for the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup with a staggering 18-0 demolition of Djibouti in the first leg of their third round tie on Sunday.
In a one-sided contest relocated to Ethiopia, the young Burundian stars ran riot, with Esperence Habonima and Roy Nzoyikorera scoring 13 goals between them in an utterly dominant display.
Habonima etched her name into the record books with a remarkable seven-goal haul, hitting the target in the 7th, 52nd, 57th, 66th, 70th, 82nd and 86th minutes.
Her strike partner Nzoyikorera was not to be outdone, however, bagging a six-goal blitz after opening the scoring with just 55 seconds on the clock.
Nzoyikorera added further strikes in the 11th, 34th, 45th, 48th and 72nd minutes as Burundi ran rampant.
The result leaves Djibouti, who had received byes in the opening two rounds, facing an uphill battle to keep their World Cup dream alive ahead of Wednesday’s return leg in Ethiopia.
For Burundi, the comprehensive first-leg victory continues their impressive run in these qualifiers, having already dispatched Botswana 4-1 and 2-0 in the previous round.
With one foot firmly in the final qualifying round, the Burundian starlets will fancy their chances of advancing to challenge either Ethiopia or Kenya for a coveted place at the U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic later this year.
Meanwhile, Nigeria, Senegal, and Morocco took significant strides towards the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup as qualifiers intensified across Africa this weekend.
In Bamako, Nigeria‘s Flamingos seized the initiative against Burkina Faso with a crucial 1-1 away draw against a tough Burkina Faso side on Saturday in the first leg of the third and penultimate round of the African qualifiers for the 2024 World Cup.
Chidi Harmony’s 55th-minute strike handed them a 1-0 advantage heading into the return leg in Abuja on May 18th.
However, Rainata Oubda’s late equaliser for the Etalons ensured the tie remained delicately poised at 1-1.
Senegal‘s Lionesses also grabbed a two-goal cushion in their bid to reach the final round, overcoming Liberia 3-1 in Thiès.
Marie Sarr’s quickfire double put the hosts in control before Mariama Faty extended their lead after the interval.
Brown’s late penalty for Liberia provided a glimmer of hope ahead of the return fixture in Monrovia on May 19th, but Senegal will fancy their chances of progressing.
Meanwhile, in Berkane, Morocco’s Lionesses took a giant stride towards the next phase, thrashing Algeria 4-0 in a one-sided affair on Friday night.
Ines Aboucharif, Romaissa Ihssan, and Ouafae Bentahri were on target for the rampant Moroccans, who also benefitted from an Algerian own goal by Hannane Sehoul.
CAF
Despite wintry conditions in Blida, on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, Algiers, Nigeria’s U17 girls dug their feet into the ground on Friday night.
They achieved a scoreless draw that qualified them for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals.
Holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage, the 2002 bronze medallists adopted a calm and collected pattern that easily soaked up the expected pressure from the hosts and then relied on fast breaks to try and pull the trigger on their opponents.
Although they created better chances on the night, the Flamingos failed to make dominance in possession pay, but swiftly collected the ticket to Morocco on a 4-0 aggregate win.
The difference over two legs of the final round was a remarkable display in the opening leg by the Flamingos, during which a brace by Queen Joseph and one each by Zainab Raji and substitute Aisha Animashaun ensured a 4-0 win.
The Flamingos will now be one of Africa’s five representatives (including hosts Morocco) at this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals taking place from 17th October – 5th November. The final competition will entertain 24 teams for the very first time.
Since the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup competition was launched in New Zealand in 2008, Nigeria have failed to make the finals only once – the 2018 tournament hosted by Uruguay.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Despite heavy first leg loss, Algeria hopeful of a turnaround in Nigeria’s Flamingos clash
The Algeria U17 women’s national team still hope for a possible turnaround in this Friday night clash with Nigeria’s Flamingos.
Algeria lost 4-0 in the first leg match in Ikenne last Saturday.
The Algerians completed their preparations on Thursday at the Sidi Moussa National Technical Centre, the eve of the return match against Nigeria.
The return match is scheduled for this Friday at 8 p.m. at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida. Aggregate winners will pick a ticket to the FIFA U-17 Women’s 2025 World Cup.
According to sources in Algeria, all the players took part in the final session, during which coach Abdenour Mira finalised the tactical details for the make or mar encounter.
Despite the heavy defeat conceded in the first leg (4-0), the young Algerians approach this match with the desire to finish well and deliver an honourable performance against a formidable Nigerian team.
During the technical meeting held early in the afternoon at the FAF headquarters, in the presence of representatives of the two teams and the organisers, it was decided that Algeria will play in green, while Nigeria will wear white.
The match will be officiated by Cameroonian Aline Marie Noelle Guimbang, assisted by her compatriot Laurie Marcelle Tsafack Teikeu and Chadian Victorine Ngarassoum.
The fourth official will also be Cameroonian, Innoncentia Njang Ntangti.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Under possible cold weather in Blida, Nigeria’s Flamingos set to grab World Cup ticket
The weather is most likely to be cold, but Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, are set to continue a tradition of qualifying for every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which has had eight editions, out of which the Flamingos featured in seven.
Only Japan, with 100 per cent attendance, has featured in more competitions than Nigeria’s Flamingos.
They look poised to feature again after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria in the first leg of the final qualifying series.
Apart from their opponents, Algeria, they have the expected cold weather to battle with at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida (outside Algiers), on Friday night.
Friday’s encounter against their Algerian counterparts is the final leg of a final qualifying round fixture, with the Flamingos, bronze-medallists from the 2022 finals in India and quarterfinalists from the last edition in the Dominican Republic, holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage.
The Federation Algerienne de Football (FAF) has scheduled the match to kick off at 8 pm, at a time when the winds will begin to blow in stronger from the Mediterranean Sea.
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