Flamingos Top Table After Matchday One at 2026 WAFU U-17 Girls Championship After Crushing Niger
Nigeria’s Flamingos opened their 2026 WAFU B U-17 Girls’ Cup campaign in commanding fashion, thrashing Niger Republic 5–0 in Yamoussoukro to move top of the table after Matchday One.
The defending champions produced a dominant display from start to finish, combining attacking efficiency with a solid defensive performance to begin their title campaign on a resounding note.
Captain Harmony Chidi opened the scoring in the 16th minute before Awawu Bashiru doubled Nigeria’s advantage in the 35th minute.
The Flamingos carried their 2–0 lead into the interval and remained firmly in control after the restart.
Nigeria’s sustained pressure eventually paid off again in the closing stages, with Ohunene Sunday making it 3–0 in the 83rd minute.
Mary Dunstan added a fourth shortly afterwards, before Ayomide Rotimi completed the scoring in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
The 5–0 victory gave Nigeria the biggest winning margin of the opening round and a +5 goal difference, while goalkeeper Onyiyechi Opara and the Flamingos defence secured a clean sheet.
Matchday One Results/Highlight
Ghana 4–0 Burkina Faso
Ghana began their campaign with an emphatic victory over Burkina Faso. Seidatu Wahab, Gloria Ameaa, Benedicta Danso and Hajara Adams were on target for the defending champions.
Côte d’Ivoire 3–2 Togo
The hosts survived a dramatic encounter against Togo, with Tina Berence Jocelyne Koudou scoring the decisive goal deep into stoppage time.
Nigeria 5–0 Niger Republic
Harmony Chidi, Awawu Bashiru, Ohunene Sunday, Mary Dunstan and Ayomide Rotimi scored as the Flamingos cruised to a comprehensive victory.
Flamingos Set Sights on Ghana
With the opening round completed, attention now turns to the next phase of the competition, with Nigeria set for a heavyweight meeting with Ghana on Saturday.
The encounter will provide another significant test for the Flamingos, who will be looking to maintain their momentum after their five-goal demolition of Niger.
The revised tournament format follows the late withdrawal of Benin Republic, leaving six teams to compete in a round-robin competition in Yamoussoukro.
The competition also serves as an important preparation tournament for Nigeria and Ghana ahead of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
For the Flamingos, the opening statement could hardly have been stronger: five goals scored, none conceded and top spot after Matchday One.
