Flamingos Coach Akeem Busari Explains Tactical Masterclass Which Nigeria Qualify for 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
Nigeria’s Flamingos head coach, Akeem Busari, has revealed that a tactical adjustment played a decisive role in his team’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating Benin Republic 5-3 in the second leg to complete an 8-5 aggregate victory.
Speaking after Saturday’s thrilling encounter, Busari praised the resilience of the Benin side but insisted Nigeria’s unique style of play and tactical flexibility ultimately made the difference.
Describing the fixture as one between close neighbours with similar football cultures, the coach acknowledged the quality of the Benin team, whom he said had shown remarkable improvement throughout the qualifiers.
“It was a game of brotherhood because Nigeria and Benin share many similarities. We knew they had improved a lot from the first leg, so we had to adjust our approach tactically,” Busari said.
The Flamingos boss disclosed that his technical crew switched formations during the game to disrupt Benin’s plans.
“We changed our system from a 4-3-3 formation to a different tactical setup. They prepared for one style, but we introduced something different. It’s all about tactics, team philosophy, understanding and the attitude of the players.
“Busari commended Benin for putting up a spirited performance, describing them as a promising team for the future, but maintained that Nigeria’s aggressive pressing game prevented the hosts from settling into their rhythm.
“They proved to be a difficult side and showed great character. But we played our own style. Our style was difficult for them because we pressed aggressively and denied them numerical superiority in key areas. We took the game to them and that made the difference.”
Nigeria raced into an early lead through Mary Akpan Dunstan in the sixth minute before Esther Enne Stephen doubled the advantage nine minutes later.
Queen Joseph then stole the show with a superb hat-trick, scoring in the 20th, 55th and 76th minutes.Benin responded through a brace from Romaine Gandonou in the ninth and 65th minutes.
Hermionne Lokossou also found the net in the 56th minute.However, the hosts could not overturn the deficit as the Flamingos sealed a 5-3 victory on the night and an 8-5 aggregate success.
The result confirms Nigeria’s place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where the Flamingos will once again aim to challenge for global honours after their impressive performances in recent editions of the tournament.
