Spectators were possibly still adjusting their seats when Nigeria’s U-17 Women’s team set the Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic agog with a sensational goal.

By the time the record books are opened, Shakirat Moshood’s goal within 90 seconds from kick-off will be adjudged as the competition’s fastest goal in 16 years. What a sensational and dreamy opening!

It led to Nigeria coasting to a 4-1 victory over flummoxed New Zealand as the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals rolled into action.

The precocious Faridat Abdulwahab rocked the crossbar seven minutes later from 23 yards, and in the 13^th minute, Nigeria went two goals up when defender Taiwo Adegoke’s shot from well outside the box was misjudged by the goalkeeper who palmed the ball over the line before scrambling in vain to push it out.

 A check with the Video Assistant Referee confirmed that the ball had, indeed, crossed the line.

Firing from all cylinders, Nigeria again rattled the opposing goalkeeper in the 17^th minute, with a sharp shot from Moshood that was punched over the bar.

Four minutes later, Peace Effiong, all over the pitch, heaved the ball too high from six yards. In the 26^th minute, Harmony Chidi rounded the goalkeeper who made a great block on the second attempt.

Captain Taiwo Afolabi stung the goalkeeper’s palms from close range in the 28^th minute, and from the resultant corner kick, Abdulwahab easily lifted the ball over the goalie from 16 yards for Nigeria’s third goal.

In the second half, the Flamingos continued their raid on the opposition goal, and eight minutes into the restart, it was 4-0 after Afolabi’s looping header from Adegoke’s cross from the right sailed over the goalkeeper into the net.

On the hour, Saxon scored a goal right from the training ground, collecting the ball from a corner kick and doing a smart turn to shoot past goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, thus pulling one back for the New Zealanders.

Although Chidi, Nigeria’s top scorer from the qualifying series, was again foiled in the 75^th minute, the Flamingos finished on the ascendancy. They will look forward to another three points against debutants Ecuador on Saturday, which will take them to the tournament’s knockout stage.  

Africa’s ultimate destination for sports, Morocco, has again been awarded the hosting rights for the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

Before now, the annual championship had been without a host before Morocco came to the rescue. It is perhaps the only country in Africa that meets the “Plug and Play” as at any time they meet the conditions to play.

According to CAF, the CAF Women’s Champions League will be played between 09-23 November 2024.

Morocco hosted the 2022 edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League – the premium women’s club football competition in Africa.

Eight Clubs will contest the top prize. Winners will get USD 400 000 in prize money with runners-up walking away with USD 250 000. 

Mamelodi Sundowns are the current holders – having won the competition twice in three years.

Morocco’s ASFAR is the other team that has won the Competition – back in 2022 when they defeated Mamelodi Sundowns.

Since it’s inception, the CAF Women’s Champions League played a key role in shaping women’s football in Africa.

Morocco’s hosting of the CAF Women’s Champions League follows the nation’s successful hosting of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2022 which also enjoyed unparallelled success.

Six Zonal tournaments took place to qualify six teams in addition to the host and the holder of 2023 title to the FT of CAF WCL 2024. The following teams are qualified:

CAF Women’s Champions League Qualified Clubs:

Holders: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

Host: ASFAR (Morocco)

WAFU A: Aigles de la Medina (Senegal)

WAFU B: EDO Queens (Nigeria)

COSAFA: University of Western Cape (South Africa)

UNAF: Tutankhamun (Egypt)

CECAFA: CBE FC (Ethiopia)

UNIFFAC: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos will gun for the maximum points when they take on their counterparts from New Zealand on Wednesday night in what is the first match of this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic.

Although the game between the host nation Dominican Republic and Ecuador (the other fixture in Group A) is billed as the opening match, Nigeria and New Zealand will do battle at the CFC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros from 4 pm local time (9 pm in Nigeria), while the host nation and Ecuador will square up as from 9 pm local time (2 am Thursday in Nigeria).

Bronze medallists in the last edition of the competition in India, the Flamingos are aiming to go farther this time, with Head Coach Bankole Olowookere insisting that he has the ammunition to overcome opponents on their way.

“I have confidence in the girls to deliver the goods at this competition. We have come well-prepared to do even better than we did in India. The Nigeria Football Federation has done everything to prepare the team well, with a two-week final camping here in the Dominican Republic.

“We do not under-rate any of our opponents. However, we will take it one match at a time and produce our best in each game in order to go all the way.”

The Flamingos have previously missed taking part in only one edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals – the 2018 finals in Uruguay.

In the qualifying campaign for this year’s finals, the Nigerian girls notched 25 goals in six matches, with 13 of them scored by clinical forward Harmony Chidi.

After the encounter with New Zealand on Wednesday night, the Flamingos will confront their counterparts from Ecuador, also at the CFC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros, before their final group phase game against the host nation at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo. The clash with Ecuador is on Saturday, 19^th October while the battle with the host nation is on Tuesday, 22^nd October.