The Flamingos of Nigeria turned in a commanding and electrifying performance on Saturday, overpowering Algeria 4-0 in the first leg of their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying encounter at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
From kickoff, Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team left no doubt about their intentions, unleashing a wave of pressure that overwhelmed the visitors and delighted the home crowd. The emphatic result puts the Flamingos in pole position to advance to the final round of qualifiers ahead of the second leg in Algiers.
Queen Joseph Inspires Fast Start
The standout star of the day was Queen Joseph, whose early brace laid the foundation for Nigeria’s dominant win. In just the 3rd minute, Joseph latched onto a perfectly threaded through ball and calmly finished past the Algerian goalkeeper to open the scoring.
She struck again in the 16th minute, this time powering a shot into the net following a slick buildup from midfield, doubling Nigeria’s lead and showcasing her poise and precision in front of goal.
Relentless Attack, Rock-Solid Defense
Algeria struggled to cope with Nigeria’s high-tempo attack and pressing game. The Flamingos added a third goal in the 31st minute, courtesy of Zainab Oluwaseun, who capitalized on a defensive lapse to extend the lead and ignite celebrations in the stands.
Despite holding a 3-0 cushion, the Nigerian girls remained relentless. They controlled the midfield, dictated possession, and defended resolutely to prevent Algeria from mounting any serious threat.
The final flourish came in injury time, when Aishat Animashaun netted Nigeria’s fourth goal in the 90th minute, putting the perfect exclamation mark on an already dazzling performance.
🏁 FULL TIME! in Ikenne 📍
Nigeria 🇳🇬 4-0 Algeria 🇩🇿
⚽⚽Queen Joseph 1', 17'
⚽Zainab Raji 13'
⚽ Aishat Animashaun 90'
Our sisters, Flamingos got one-hand on the Morocco 2025 ticket 🎫#U17WWCQ #NGAALG #SoarFlamingos @thenff pic.twitter.com/herpNzKG3X
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) April 19, 2025Eyes on the World Stage
With this result, Coach Bankole Olowookere and his squad have taken a giant stride toward qualifying for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. The Flamingos now carry a four-goal advantage into the second leg, scheduled to take place in Algiers on April 25.
While the job isn’t finished yet, today’s performance was a powerful statement of intent. If the Flamingos can replicate their form in the return leg, a place on the global stage is well within reach.
