Flamingos, Nigeria’s U17 women’s national team are through to the final of the U17 WAFU-B Women’s Cup after securing a 2-0 victory over Benin in the semifinals on Friday. The win sets up a thrilling showdown with hosts Ghana for the inaugural tournament title on Sunday.
The Flamingos were clinical in their execution, with Mary Nkpa converting a penalty in the 70th minute and Peace Effiong pouncing on a defensive error to seal the victory with a late goal.
Nkpa’s Composed Penalty
The game remained tightly contested for much of the first half, with both teams creating few clear-cut chances up until the 70th minute
The Benin defense was caught handling the ball inside the box, and Nkpa stepped up to take the responsibility. With nerves of steel, the young striker calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving Nigeria a crucial 1-0 advantage.
WATCH GOALS: Nigeria Flamingos 2 VS 0 Benin U17
Semifinals – WAFU Zone B U17 Girls Cup (Ghana 2024)
Goal scorer for Nigeria
⚽️ Mary Nkpa
⚽️ Peace Effiong#SoarFlamingos #WAFUBU17GirlsCup pic.twitter.com/kOBqIRAYQu— Dr. Victor Ademola (@AdemolaVictorTv) December 19, 2024
Effiong’s Late Strike
As Benin pushed for an equalizer in the closing stages, a defensive mix-up in the Benin backline presented Nigeria with a golden opportunity. Peace Effiong was in the right place at the right time, seizing on the miscommunication between the Benin defenders to score into an empty net in the dying moments of the match.
Nigeria vs Ghana: A Mouth-Watering Final
With the victory, Nigeria’s Flamingos will now face hosts Ghana in the final, the black maidens slam Ivory coast 5-0 to set a date with the flamingos.
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The two teams have impressed throughout the tournament, and Sunday’s match promises to be an exciting encounter.
