Nigeria’s Flamingos have booked their place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after edging Benin’s Amazons 5-3 in the second leg of their qualifying tie in Lomé on Saturday, sealing an emphatic 8-5 aggregate victory.
Having secured a 3-2 win in the first leg in Ikenne, Ogun State, Coach Akeem Busari’s side delivered another impressive attacking performance to confirm their qualification for the global tournament.
The Flamingos made a bright start, with Mary Dustan opening the scoring in the sixth minute.
However, Benin responded just three minutes later to draw level and keep the contest alive.
Nigeria quickly regained the initiative as Ester Stephen restored the lead in the 15th minute before Queen Joseph added a third five minutes later to put the Flamingos 3-1 ahead.
Benin refused to give up, scoring twice to narrow the gap and pile pressure on the visitors. But the Flamingos responded strongly, netting two more goals to secure a thrilling 5-3 victory and end the hosts’ hopes of a comeback.
The result capped a dominant qualifying campaign for Busari’s team, who scored eight goals across both legs while conceding five.
“I’m proud of the players’ determination and attacking spirit. They showed resilience and deserved this qualification,” Busari said after the match.
The 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be staged in Rabat, Morocco, from October 17 to November 7, bringing together the best youth women’s teams from around the world.
