Nigeria’s Flamingos strengthened their preparations for two important tournaments by defeating Diamond Stars Sporting Queens 11-0 in an Abuja friendly on Wednesday.
The fixture was arranged as part of the Under-17 women’s team’s preparations for the WAFU B U-17 Girls Championship in Côte d’Ivoire, followed by the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Mary Dunstan and Harmony Chidi led the scoring surge, with the Nigerian side producing a commanding attacking display. Dunstan struck three times before half-time, finding the net in the sixth, 25th and 38th minutes.
Chidi then added four goals, scoring in the 41st, 48th, 57th and 64th minutes. Tobi Sarafa had opened her account in the 11th minute, while Chisom Emmanuella Chukwuemeka followed one minute later.
Koasarat Akanji scored Nigeria’s 10th goal in the 61st minute, and the rout was completed by an own goal in the 49th minute.
In addition to delivering a convincing result, the match gave the coaching staff another chance to evaluate the squad and improve partnerships ahead of the Flamingos’ first major assignment in Côte d’Ivoire.
Nigeria have been placed in Group B at the WAFU B U-17 Girls Championship alongside Ghana, Togo and Niger Republic. The regional tournament starts on September 15, with hosts Côte d’Ivoire grouped with Burkina Faso and Benin Republic in Group A.
The championship is expected to provide valuable high-level preparation before Nigeria’s focus shifts to the global tournament in Morocco.
The Flamingos secured their World Cup place by defeating Benin Republic 8-5 on aggregate in the final stage of the African qualifying series.
At the World Cup, Nigeria will compete in Group B with holders Korea DPR, Poland and Puerto Rico. Their campaign begins against Poland on October 17, followed by a meeting with Puerto Rico on October 20, before they face Korea DPR in their final group match on October 23. The tournament is scheduled to run from October 17 through November 7.
