By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria rallied to a 5-1 aggregate win over South Africa in the penultimate round of the qualifying series for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, to reach the final round slated for April.
This was after a 2-0 victory by the Nigerian women team, mostly known as Flamingos, in the second leg match on Saturday in Ikenne, Ogun State, South-West, Nigeria.
Two-goal heroine in the first leg, Harmony Chidi coolly nodded home from an acute angle in the 37th minute, to compound the fixture for the visitors who lost the first leg at home 1-3.
Shakirat Moshood, who scored a goal in the first leg, was the provider from a well-taken free kick on the right.
She turned provider again 11 minutes into the second half, when she found Aishat Animashaun, who lifted the ball over and above Samekelise Mthembu into the net for Nigeria’s second.
Zoe October, Thoriso Mphelo, Khmezi Khoza and captain Katleho Malebana impressed in the ranks of the Bantwana, but they could not find a way through the Nigerian defenceline of Hannah Ibrahim, Jumai Adebayo, Philomena Isaiah and Favour Iheagwam.
Victory sprang the Flamingos to the final round of the qualifying race, where they face the winner of the fixture between Botswana and Algeria.
