In what should serve as a timely warning to the Nigeria women’s U-17 team, who secured a 3-1 away win over South Africa, their Cote d’Ivoire counterparts bounced back from a 3-1 home loss to Burundi only to win 3-0 away.

Nigeria will on Saturday in Ikenne face South Africa who, like Cote d’Ivoire, lost 3-1 at home. That Cote d’Ivoire could bounce back in the reciprocal fixture may have buoyed South Africa to attempt the same on Saturday.

After losing 3-1 at home in the first leg, the young Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire responded with a clinical 3-0 win in the return match on Wednesday, 12 March to secure passage into the third and final round of qualifiers.

From the very first minutes of the match, Adélaïde Koudougnon’s players showed unwavering determination.

Eager to make up for their deficit, they applied intense pressure on the hosts. In the 9th minute, Alimatou Zea lit the first spark by expertly converting a direct free kick, giving her team a valuable lead.

Seven minutes later, Nahomie Bah followed suit by doubling the score with a well-placed shot that left the Burundian goalkeeper with no chance.

 With this two-goal advantage at halftime, Côte d’Ivoire was in a strong position, still needing just one more goal for direct qualification.

Despite the intensity of the match and growing pressure from Burundi in the second half, the Ivorians remained composed.

They continued to play with discipline and intelligence, looking for the opportunity to score that third goal, which would secure their qualification.

It was in the 69th minute that Rolande Adjoua sealed the fate of the match with an unstoppable strike. Following a beautiful combination starting from the right side, she received a perfectly weighted cross before sending the ball into the back of the net.

Côte d’Ivoire becomes the first nation to secure its ticket for the third round of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

After getting a 3-1 win away from home, Nigeria’s U17 women’s team, Flamingos, will again clash with their South Africa counterparts, the Bantwana.

Both teams will clash in the return leg, at the Remo Stars’ Stadium in Ikenne-Remo on Saturday next week.

The winner will advance to the final round of the series, where all four winners will qualify to join hosts Morocco as Africa’s flag-bearers at this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, 17^th October – 5^th November.

Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, on Saturday defeated their hosts, South Africa’s Bantwana 3-1 to put a firm leg in the final round of the qualification series for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals.

It is one of the overwhelming victories that a Nigerian team has scored against South Africa since Nigeria’s commanding control waned in the 2000s.

Four-goal scorer at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic last year, Shakirat Moshood finished with aplomb in the 20^th minute to put the 2022 FIFA World Cup bronze medallists ahead at the Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe in Pretoria, before Harmony Chidi, who scored 13 goals in the qualifying series for last year’s finals, made no mistake from six yards as Nigeria was awarded a penalty.

Bantwana kept the Flamingos in their sights when they also converted a penalty two minutes after the break, courtesy Malebana, but the prolific Harmony Chidi took Nigeria out of South Africa’s sights with a third goal in the 68^th minute.

Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H