Flamingos Aim for Fourth Win Against Côte d’Ivoire

Nigeria’s Flamingos will try to keep their winning streak alive in the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup when they face the host team Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday.

The match kicks off at 7:00pm WAT at the Lycée Scientifique in Yamoussoukro. Both teams come into this important match after playing three games each.

Akeem Busari’s Flamingos lead the table with nine points from three wins. Côte d’Ivoire is in second place with six points from two wins and one loss.

Both teams have a +9 goal difference, so Thursday’s game could be a big moment in the tournament.

Flamingos Have Perfect Record

Nigeria has been perfect so far, winning all three matches and scoring 11 goals while allowing just two.

They started strong with a 5-0 win against Niger. Then, in the Jollof Derby, they beat Ghana 4-2.

The game against Ghana was special. Nigeria took a 2-0 lead thanks to Oluwakemi Adegbuyi and captain Harmony Chidi. But then defender Elizabeth Adesuyi got a red card in the 59th minute.

Ghana quickly took advantage, with captain Seidatu Wahab scoring from a free-kick to make it 2-1.

Despite being a player down, the Flamingos managed to score again. Mary Dunstan put Nigeria ahead by two goals before Kaosarat Akanji made it 4-1. Ghana scored late but Nigeria held on for a 4-2 win.

Nigeria then faced Burkina Faso and played well again. Dunstan scored the first goal in the 82nd minute. Adegbuyi sealed the 2-0 win in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Côte d’Ivoire Comes in Strong

Côte d’Ivoire also played three matches, but they have had a rougher journey. They won their opener 3-2 against Togo but lost 1-0 to Burkina Faso.

On 21 September, they bounced back with an impressive 9-0 win over Niger. Grâce Gnadou stood out, scoring a hat-trick early in the game as they returned to form.

This big win brought Côte d’Ivoire’s goal difference to +9, matching Nigeria’s. But the Flamingos have a perfect record, while Côte d’Ivoire has two wins and one loss.

“For Côte d’Ivoire, we are going to have a mix of total attack and set block. It’s going to be a very good game. We are going to give a good value for them as well. We are not going to underrate them, neither should they underrate us,” the Flamingos Coach said.

Nigeria Aiming for Fourth Win

If Nigeria wins, they will have 12 points from four matches and strengthen their lead at the top.

For Côte d’Ivoire, a win at home would give them nine points and help them catch up to Nigeria.

This tournament is also a good chance for Busari’s team to prepare for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The Flamingos have shown they can handle tough situations, especially after going down to 10 players against Ghana. They will need that toughness again against Côte d’Ivoire, who has shown they can attack, especially with the 9-0 win over Niger.

The match on Thursday features the top two teams in the tournament. The Nigerian squad is looking for their fourth straight win, while Côte d’Ivoire hopes home support will help them close the gap.

“We just want to enjoy it ourselves. We want to play as a team. We want to defend like a team. We want to show the character we have. We don’t look down on any team. Every team is a good team. We respect all teams and I believe all teams respect us,” the Flamingos Coach added.

A win for the Flamingos would boost Nigeria to 12 points and could put them in a strong position to win the trophy with one game left, depending on how other matches go.