Nigeria rallied to a 5-1 aggregate win over South Africa in the penultimate round of the qualifying series for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, to reach the final round slated for next month.

Two-goal heroine in the first leg, Harmony Chidi coolly nodded home from an acute angle in the 37th minute, to compound the fixture for the visitors who lost the first leg at home 1-3.

Shakirat Moshood, who scored a goal in the first leg, was the provider from a well-taken free kick on the right.

She turned provider again 11 minutes into the second half, when she found Aishat Animashaun, who lifted the ball over and above Samekelise Mthembu into the net for Nigeria’s second.

Zoe October, Thoriso Mphelo, Khmezi Khoza and captain Katleho Malebana impressed in the ranks of the Bantwana, but they could not find a way through the Nigerian defence line of Hannah Ibrahim, Jumai Adebayo, Philomena Isaiah and Favour Iheagwam.

Victory sprang the Flamingos to the final round of the qualifying race, where they face the winner of the fixture between Botswana and Algeria next month.

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As the minutes tick down to the return match of Nigeria and South Africa in the FIFA U17 World Cup qualifying duel, the head coach of the Nigerian team has declared that his playerswill not leave any room for a possible sucker punch on Saturday in Ikenne.

“We are very much aware of the fact that it is never over until it is over.

“It will be foolish to assume otherwise. Yes, we won 3-1 away in South Africa, but the contest is still alive. That is our mentality.

“That has been at the heart of our preparations since we returned from Pretoria.

“My assistants and I have been working on the team’s mental strength while drumming it into the ears of the girls that focus is key.

“No loss of concentration is allowed. Our objective is to win on Saturday and make sure of a place in the final qualifying round.”

Shakirat Moshood scored once, and Harmony Chidi netted a brace to earn Nigeria a 3-1 win in Pretoria last weekend – a seemingly comfortable position for a team hosting the return leg.

However, Cote d’Ivoire’s U17 girls showed that several things are still possible in football, when they hammered their Burundian counterparts 3-0 away after losing the first leg 3-1 in Abidjan, in these same qualifying series.

Olowookere added: “We learnt of the result of the Ivorians in the return leg against Burundi. It further underscored our insistence that the fixture is not over. There is still 90 minutes to be played, and we must play it with our hearts and maximum mental strength.”

Match officials for Saturday’s encounter, which will commence at 4 pm at the Remo Stars’ Stadium, arrived in Nigeria on Friday.

The winner of the fixture between Nigeria and South Africa will confront the winner of the fixture between Botswana and Algeria in the final qualification round, set for next month. Botswana won the first leg at home 2-1.

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The delegation of South Africa’s U17 girls, Bantwana, who were beaten 3-1 at home by Nigeria’s Flamingoes, have Cote d’Ivoire’s feat as inspiration.

Like South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire also lost their home match, 3-1 to visiting Burundi. But they turned the game around, winning 3-0 away.

Nigeria’s Flamingoes will host their South African counterparts in Ikenne on Saturday, having a foreknowledge of the feat of Cote d’Ivoire.

A brace by Harmony Chidi, which followed Shakirat Moshood’s goal, steered Nigeria to a 3-1 win over their hosts in Pretoria on Saturday, but the Bantwana have sounded a big warning that they will not be in Ikenne to lie down and be slaughtered.

South Africa’s captain Katleho Malebana, whose goal early in the second half raised the hopes of the Bantwana, before Chidi’s second and Nigeria’s third, has assured that the South Africans will contest every blade of the grass with their hosts at the Remo Stars Stadium on Saturday.    

Saturday’s encounter will kick off at 4 pm, with Senegalese match officials in charge.

CAF has appointed Aida Sy to serve as referee, while her compatriots Ndeye Aissa Ndiaye, Ndeye Sarr Ndiaye and Fatoumata Sall Toure will be in the roles of assistant 1, assistant 2 and fourth official respectively.

Ghanaian Naa Odofoley Nortey will be the commissioner while Agar Mezing from Cameroon will be the referee assessor.

 The winner on aggregate will progress to the final round of the qualification series, with this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup taking place in Morocco, 17 October – 8 November.

Africa will present five teams (including host nation Morocco) at the finals, which has been expanded to a 24-nation championship.

The Flamingos have intensified their preparation with training sessions at the Remo Stars Institute, Ikenne-Remo, ahead of Saturday’s encounter

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