Flamingos start World Cup with cracker in Kinshasa
Sports Editor
Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos kickstart their chase for a ticket to this year’s FIFA U17 World Cup finals with a second round, first leg tie against their counterparts of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa today.
The Flamingos, quarter-finalists at the FIFA World Cup finals in 2010, 2012, and 2014, have been in camp for some weeks in the Federal Capital, Abuja and Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has selected 20 players who will do the battle with the characteristically –feisty Congolese today Sunday.
However, the Nigeria squad consists of two goalkeepers, seven defenders, four midfielders, and seven forwards.
Nigeria have participated in every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, bar one since the tournament was launched in New Zealand in 2018. The only finals the Flamingos have missed remain the 2018 finals staged in Uruguay when they were tripped at the final hurdle by Cameroon on the away-goal rule.
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The return leg is scheduled for the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City on Saturday, 19th March, with the winner over two legs to clash with the Egyptian U17 girls in the third round of the African qualifying campaign next month.
The Nigeria delegation to Kinshasa left the shores of Nigeria on Friday.
