Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team head coach, Bankole Olowookere, has issued a strong caution to his players as they prepare for the decisive second leg of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
On Saturday, the Flamingos claimed a vital 3-1 victory over South Africa’s Bantwana at the Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, taking a significant step toward the final qualification round for this year’s World Cup.
Shakirat Moshood, who scored four goals at last year’s U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a clinical finish. Nigeria doubled their lead when Harmony Chidi, the top scorer in last year’s qualifiers with 13 goals, confidently converted a penalty.
South Africa pulled one back early in the second half through a penalty from Katleho Malebana, but Chidi restored Nigeria’s two-goal advantage in the 68th minute, sealing a crucial away win for the 2022 World Cup bronze medallists.
Speaking after the match, Olowookere acknowledged the challenge posed by playing against a home team with strong crowd support.
“We expected them to fight back. Any home team would do the same, especially when trailing,” he said. “But we handled the game well and got the result we wanted. We are in a comfortable position.”
Despite the advantage, Olowookere remains cautious and has urged his team to stay focused in the return leg at Remo Stars’ Stadium in Ikenne-Remo next Saturday.
“We must be careful not to concede. Our priority is to control the pressure and maintain possession. If we get another goal, that’s great, but we must ensure we manage the game well,” he emphasized.
The winner of this tie will advance to the final qualification round, where four teams will secure a spot at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, set to take place in Morocco from October 17 to November 5.
