Flamingos triumph over Black Princesses in WAFU-B U17 match

In a thrilling encounter at the WAFU-B U17 Girls Championship, Nigeria's U17 girls, the Flamingos, secured a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Ghana's Black Princesses on September 19, 2026, in Yamoussoukro. After a cautious start with multiple missed opportunities, the Flamingos gained momentum following a cooling break, demonstrating improved coordination and control on the pitch. The breakthrough for Nigeria arrived in the 33rd minute when Oluwakemi Adegbuyi skillfully found the net, giving her team a 1-0 lead. Just before halftime, captain Harmony Chidi extended the lead to 2-0 in stoppage time, allowing the Flamingos to head into the break with a deserved advantage.

The second half took a dramatic turn in the 59th minute when Nigeria was down to 10 players after defender Elizabeth Adesuyi received a direct red card for a foul on a Ghanaian attacker. Capitalizing on the resultant free-kick, Ghana's captain Seidatu Wahab scored directly, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and intensifying the match as the Flamingos faced a numerical disadvantage. Despite being a player down, the Flamingos exhibited remarkable resilience. In the 70th minute, Mary Dunstan restored Nigeria's two-goal cushion with a fantastic solo effort, outmaneuvering her defender and rounding the goalkeeper to score, pushing the tally to 3-1. Although a goal by Harmony Chidi was disallowed for offside, Nigeria maintained control, sealing the match in the 87th minute when Kaosarat Akanji scored a stunning free-kick to increase the score to 4-1. Ghana managed to pull one back through Gloria Ameaa in the 90th minute, making it 4-2, but this was merely a consolation as Nigeria expertly managed the closing stages of the game. The Flamingos' tactical discipline, even while playing with 10 players for over 30 minutes, was commendable. This victory positions Nigeria strongly within the championship, affirming their title credentials in pursuit of regional supremacy.