Flamingos head coach Bankole Olowookere has set his sights on a convincing victory when Nigeria’s U-17 girls take on Algeria in the first leg of their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final qualifying round this Saturday at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo.
Speaking ahead of the crucial clash, Olowookere emphasized the importance of winning big at home to ease pressure ahead of the return leg in North Africa on Friday, April 25.
“We have been working very hard to correct the lapses noticed in our last matches (against South Africa), Olowookere told thenff.com. “We believe we are in good form to achieve a handsome win here and then go all out in the second leg in Algeria.”
The Flamingos are coming off an impressive double over South Africa in the previous round — a 3-1 away victory in Pretoria followed by a 2-0 triumph in Ikenne. But Olowookere remains grounded.
“I have always told the girls that no two matches are the same, so the fact that we beat South Africa home-and-away does not mean we will rest on our oars in this final round. We have to keep our feet on the ground, and keep working harder, bonding better and aiming higher. Our mission is to pick the FIFA World Cup ticket, and go to Morocco to make Nigeria proud.”
Flamingos’ Key Players to Watch vs Algeria:
- Harmony Chidi – The red-hot forward has now scored 16 goals in FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifiers, including 13 in last year’s run to the finals in the Dominican Republic.
- Shakirat Moshood – A dynamic midfielder who netted four times at the last World Cup and opened the scoring in Pretoria against South Africa.
- Aishat Animashaun – Another in-form attacker, having found the net in the previous round against Bantwana.
The Remo Stars Stadium continues to be a fortress for Nigerian teams, as it was also the venue where the Super Falcons defeated Algeria 2-0 in an international friendly last October.
Match Details:
- Fixture: Nigeria U17 vs Algeria U17
- Competition: FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers – Final Round, First Leg
- Date: Saturday, April 20
- Venue: Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne
- Kick-off: TBC
- Return Leg: Friday, April 25 – Stade Mustapha Tchaker, Blida, Algeria
With a World Cup ticket to Morocco on the line, the Flamingos are primed to make a strong statement on home soil before heading to North Africa for the decisive leg.
