Nigeria’s U17 women’s team, the Flamingos, began their 2026 WAFU B U17 Girls’ Cup campaign with a dominant 5-0 victory over Niger Republic in Yamoussoukro on Wednesday.
Nigeria took control from the opening whistle, keeping possession and setting the pace as Niger Republic struggled to cope with their opponents’ intensity. Captain Harmony Chidi put the Flamingos ahead in the 16th minute, finishing an assertive start to give Nigeria a deserved 1-0 lead.
The pressure continued after the opening goal, although Nigeria had to wait before extending their advantage. Awawu Bashiru eventually doubled the lead with a composed finish, while Adegbuyi also found the net only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
Niger Republic offered little threat during the first half. Nigeria goalkeeper Onyiyechi Opara was not called upon to make a save in the opening 45 minutes as the Flamingos maintained control of the match.
The pattern continued after the interval, with Nigeria combining patience in possession with sustained attacking pressure. Niger Republic were unable to contain the pace and creativity of the Flamingos, who continued to search for further goals without losing their organisation.
Nigeria’s dominance was reflected on the scoreboard late in the game. Ohunene Sunday scored in the 83rd minute to make it 3-0, before Mary Dunstan added a fourth and left Niger Republic facing a heavy defeat.
The Flamingos completed the scoring in stoppage time when Ayomide Rotimi struck in the 94th minute. Her goal secured a 5-0 victory and underlined Nigeria’s superiority throughout the contest.
The result gives Nigeria a clean sheet and five goals as they begin their defence of the title. Their performance also highlighted the team’s depth, discipline and attacking quality, while sending an early warning to the other contenders in the tournament.