Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has called 25 players to the camp of Nigeria’s U17 women national team, Flamingos ahead of the WAFU B U17 Girls’ Cup competition taking place in Ghana, 12^th – 26^th December 2024.

The gaffer has drawn principally from the corp that not only reached the quarter-finals at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic some weeks ago, but also won the FIFA Fair Play Trophy of the competition. The Flamingos had lost by two goals to eventual bronze medallists USA in the quarter-finals.

Top of the list is midfielder Shakirat Moshood, who scored four goals at the tournament. First-choice goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, defenders Taiwo Adegoke, Jumai Adebayo and Prisca Nwachukwu, midfielder Farida Abdulwahab, and forwards Harmony Chidi, Peace Effiong and Janet Akekoromowei are also invited.

The Flamingos have been drawn in group B of the two-week, six-team competition, alongside the U17 girls of Cote d’Ivoire and Niger Republic. Hosts Ghana are in group A alongside the U17 girls of Burkina Faso and Benin Republic.

All invited players are expected to report at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Tuesday, 3^rd December 2024.

25 FLAMINGOS FOR CAMPING AHEAD GHANA 2024

Goalkeepers: Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens); Elizabeth Boniface (Sunshine Queens); Sylvia Echefu (Bayelsa Queens); Chiamaka Enebeli (RoyalTom FC)

Defenders: Rokibat Azeez (New Generation Academy); Taiwo Adegoke (Remo Stars Ladies); Jumai Adebayo Naija Ratels); Ayomide Ibrahim (Remo Stars Ladies); Prisca Nwachukwu (Heartland Queens); Ololade Isiaka (Abia Angels); Oluwatoyin Olowookere (Ekiti Queens); Oghenemairo Obruthe (Lagos City)

Midfielders: Saida Adebiyi (Confluence Queens); Shakirat Moshood (Bayelsa Queens); Waliat Rotimi (Nakamura Academy); Farida Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons); Fatimoh Solaty (Dannaz Ladies)

Forwards: Harmony Chidi (Imo Strikers); Peace Effiong (Rivers Angels); Mary Nkpa (Abia Angels); Blessing Ifitezue (Rivers Angels); Aisha Animashaun (Naija Ratels); Mary Mamudu (Edo Queens); Precious Oscar (Bayelsa Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (Nasarawa Amazons)

Global youth football powers Nigeria and Ghana will on Tuesday battle it out for the bronze medals of the ongong WAFU B U17 Championship in Accra, Ghana.

Given their pedigree at this level, both nations should have been preparing to test strength and savvy for who deserved the trophy, in the final match of the competition. However, the Eaglets were downed by Cote d’Ivoire’s Baby Elephants while the Starlets were plucked by the Baby Etalons of Burkina Faso in the semi-finals.

With the West African Football Union still unable to provide clarity on the number of teams that will proceed to the 2025 Africa U17 Cup of Nations from WAFU B, General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi has charged the Eaglets to go all out and execute the third-place encounter like a final match.

“We are still awaiting clarity on the number of teams that will qualify to the U17 AFCON from this tournament. Some people have said only three teams; some said four teams. It is therefore important that our boys go out there and play their hearts out to finish in third place.

“The Black Starlets will not be an easy ride. They are the home side and they will bank on the support of the fans. But our boys have what it takes to achieve victory.”

The third-place match will kick off at 3pm Ghana time (4pm Nigeria time) at the University of Accra Stadium, ahead of the final match between Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, which commences at 6pm Ghana time (7pm Nigeria time).  

The WAFU B U17 championship final match has avoided a ‘Jollof Rice’ controversy as rivals, Ghana and Nigeria have been booted out at the semi-finals.

Five-time world champions Nigeria and three-time world champions Ghana were eliminated from the WAFU B U17 Championship at the semi-final stage on Saturday, with Burkina Faso getting the better of the host nation and the Baby Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire narrowly sending the Eaglets packing.

Burkina Faso was the first team in the final after a 2-1 defeat of the Black Starlets. In the second semi-final, rampaging Cote d’Ivoire scored through Youbah Coulibaly off a defensive mix-up by Nigeria in the 54^th minute and that strike separated both teams at the University of Accra Stadium.

It was a tough battle for the Eaglets as the Baby Elephants showed greater composure and hunger for the final ticket, and goalkeeper Dominic Chinedu came to the Eaglets’ rescue on several occasions.

The result means that the Golden Eaglets have failed to qualify for next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations, where Africa’s flag-bearers at next year’s FIFA U17 World Cup finals will emerge.