WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Dominican Republic 2024: Flamingos pummel Talent Academy ahead departure to Bamako
The Nigeria U17 Women’s National Team, Flamingos, on Saturday thrashed Soccer Talent Academy 9-1 in Abuja, in their first preparatory match ahead of their FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Burkina Faso
The visitors drew the first blood when their striker took advantage of poor communication between goalkeeper Ijeoma Uzoma and defender Prisca Nwachukwu. However, their celebration did not last long as Harmony Chidi equalized a few minutes later to open the floodgate of goals for Flamingos. Two minutes later, Etim Edidiong put Flamingos ahead with a superb strike from outside the box.
The two goalscorers then found the back of the net again to put the home side in a comfortable lead at halftime. On resumption of the second half, the Flamingos continued the push for more goals and their efforts paid off when Yetunde Ayantosho added another one from close range. Aisha Animashaun then joined the party with a brace before Funke Arogundade and Ramota Kareem wrapped up the goals-galore with good tap-ins.
Speaking after the match, coach Bankole Olowookere pointed out the areas the technical crew must work on before jetting out of the country.
“Despite scoring a lot of goals today, we missed a lot of chances too and we can not afford to do that in a competitive match. We must utilize our chances to score goals against Burkina Faso so that the return leg at home will be a walk in the park for us.
“I have noticed one or two things that must be corrected before our next friendly match and the girls must understand the difference between training session and match situation.”
The Flamingos’ delegation will depart from Abuja on Wednesday, 8 May to Bamako where they will face the Burkinabe U17 women’s team on Saturday, 11 May.
Nigeria have appeared at every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals bar one – the 2018 finals staged in Uruguay.
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Flamingos Set for Morocco 2025 as Nigeria’s U-17s Depart Abuja for Final World Cup Preparations

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will depart Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, October 8, as they begin the final leg of preparations for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup scheduled to take place in Morocco.
The team will travel aboard Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca, Morocco’s industrial and economic hub, where they will set up camp ahead of the tournament.
During their stay in Casablanca, the Flamingos will step up their build-up programme with two high-profile international friendlies — first against New Zealand on October 10, and then Paraguay on October 14.
Following their training camp, the team will move into the official FIFA hotel in Rabat on October 15, joining other participating nations as the countdown begins to the global showpiece.
Drawn in Group D, Nigeria will face Canada, France, and Samoa in what promises to be a competitive group. The Flamingos will begin their campaign against Canada on Sunday, October 19, before locking horns with France three days later.
Both matches will be played at the Football Academy Mohammed VI in Sale, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. Nigerian time. Their final group match comes against Samoa on October 25, starting at 5 p.m., also in Sale.
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere’s side heads into the tournament brimming with confidence after a remarkable build-up.
The Flamingos have played 10 tune-up games, scoring an impressive 44 goals without conceding any, a record that highlights their attacking prowess and defensive discipline.
Olowookere has expressed optimism about his team’s readiness, noting that the squad’s balance and form give them belief they can surpass their quarter-final finish at the last edition in the Dominican Republic.
With a perfect preparation run and growing momentum, the Flamingos will be aiming to make history in Morocco and bring pride to Nigerian women’s football once again.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Flamingos in Fiery Form as They Conclude World Cup Preparations in Abuja

Nigeria’s U17 Women’s National Team, the Flamingos, are rounding off their preparations for the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco with a string of dominant performances that underscore their growing confidence and team chemistry.
In a remarkable build-up campaign, the Flamingos have played eight friendly matches in Abuja, winning all and maintaining a perfect defensive record. The team has scored 26 goals without conceding, a run that has lifted morale and heightened expectations ahead of their World Cup challenge.
Last week, the team showcased their attacking prowess with a convincing 3–0 victory over Abuja All-Stars.
Praise Agba opened the scoring from a loose ball, Olamide Olanrewaju doubled the lead from the penalty spot, and Zainab Raji sealed the win with a thunderous strike shortly after the restart. Goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu was outstanding between the sticks, producing several key saves to preserve another clean sheet.
Earlier, the Flamingos overcame a rain-disrupted clash against Josiah Academy, running out 2–0 winners courtesy of a Chisom Nwachukwu brace within the opening 10 minutes before the downpour forced an early end to proceedings.
The girls also recorded emphatic wins over Nazareth Angels (5–0), with Queen Joseph bagging a brace and goals from Praise Agba, Mariam Yahaya, and Chisom Nwachukwu; and Horvel Prime (5–0), where Joseph netted a first-half hat-trick, while captain Shakirat Moshood and Azeezat Oduntan added one apiece.
Across all their tune-up matches, the Flamingos have demonstrated an impressive balance — clinical in attack, disciplined in midfield, and solid at the back — as they fine-tune for global competition.
Drawn in Group D alongside Canada, France, and Samoa, Nigeria will depart for Morocco on October 8, aiming to carry their perfect form into the tournament, which runs from October 17 to November 8.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Falconets Edge She-Amavubi as Nigeria Extends Winning Run Over Rwanda

Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, continued the country’s dominance over Rwanda on the international football stage by securing a 1–0 victory in Kigali on Sunday in the first leg of their 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup second-round qualifier.
The narrow win comes against the backdrop of two recent triumphs by the Super Eagles over Rwanda in the men’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, underlining Nigeria’s growing hold in encounters with the East Africans.
At the Kigali-Pele Stadium in Nyamirambo, both sides battled fiercely in a goalless first half, with chances at a premium. The breakthrough arrived in the 70th minute when Alaba Olabiyi bundled the ball home from a goalmouth scramble after a Falconets corner. The strike proved enough to hand Coach Moses Aduku a winning start in his first competitive game in charge of the team.
With the victory, the Falconets carry a slim but valuable advantage into the return leg at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Saturday, where they will be backed by home support as they push for a place in the next round of qualifiers.
The team’s delegation is expected back in Nigeria on Monday morning to begin preparations for the decisive clash.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
-
World Cup1 week agoBREAKING: At last FIFA’s Axe falls on South Africa!
-
World Cup1 week agoSouth Africa to Appeal FIFA Ruling Over Mokoena Eligibility Case
-
Nigerian Football1 week agoSuper Eagles Set for Double Friendly Showdown with Venezuela and Colombia in USA
-
World Cup1 week agoSport Minister Orders Probe into SAFA over Bafana’s Costly Points Deduction
-
World Cup6 days agoFIFA Sanction on South Africa Offers Super Eagles a Lifeline — But a Lesson from History Looms
-
U-20 FOOTBALL1 week agoTwo penalty appeal lost as Flying Eagles stumble at first hurdle
-
World Cup4 days agoSuper Eagles Walk Tightrope as Nine Key Players Risk Suspension in World Cup Qualifiers
-
World Cup5 days agoOsimhen Returns as Chelle Names 23-Man Squad for Crucial World Cup Qualifiers