Nigeria’s U17 girls, the Flamingos, will look to complete the job against Guinea on Sunday when both sides clash in the second leg of their FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo.
The Flamingos head into the encounter with one foot firmly in the next and final round of the qualifying campaign following an emphatic 5-0 victory in the first leg played in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. It was a performance filled with confidence, attacking quality, and tactical discipline.
Since returning from Côte d’Ivoire, preparations have continued in Ikenne-Remo with the technical crew maintaining the intensity in training sessions despite the comfortable first-leg advantage. Head Coach Akeem Busari admitted that managing the mentality of the players after such a dominant first-leg result remains one of the biggest tasks for his coaching crew. According to Busari, overconfidence can naturally set in after a heavy victory, but the emphasis in camp has been on maintaining discipline and continuing the team’s development process.
The coach compared the situation to preparing for examinations, insisting that success only comes through continuous work and repetition. He also stressed that Guinea remain a dangerous side capable of responding strongly, adding that the Flamingos still have a responsibility to deliver another impressive performance in front of their home supporters.
“It happens in football because at the time when you are above a team in terms of goal-scoring and equally in performance, complacency will really set in as a human. I see Guinea as a team that can still want to fight back. On our side, we still need to give more because we are playing at home. Our fans want to see the beauty of the game, we want to showcase what we have, we want to win excellently.”
Sunday’s encounter presents the Flamingos another opportunity to underline their credentials as one of Africa’s rising forces in women’s football. With qualification for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco edging closer, the team will be eager to produce another commanding display and continue building momentum under Busari’s leadership.
