Nigeria 3-2 Benin Republic: Flamingos gain advantage in qualifier

In an exciting FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying match on Saturday, July 4, 2026, Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, secured a narrow 3-2 victory over the Benin Republic at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State. This win gives Nigeria a slight advantage heading into the decisive second leg of the qualifier.

The match began dramatically as Benin Republic took the lead in the 16th minute. Forward Romaine Gandonou struck a powerful left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, beating Nigerian goalkeeper Jane Ijirigho and sending shockwaves through the home crowd. However, Nigeria responded quickly. In the 17th minute, team captain Harmony Chidi nearly equalized, but her chip shot went just over the crossbar following a well-constructed play involving Queen Joseph.

The Flamingos’ persistence bore fruit when Joseph scored with a well-timed lob in the 26th minute, leveling the match 1-1. Shortly thereafter, Benin had a chance to regain the lead, but goalkeeper Ijirigho denied Gandonou with a crucial save in the 34th minute. Just before halftime, Oluwakemi Adegbuyi hit the crossbar with a shot, narrowly missing another goal for Nigeria.

As the second half commenced, Nigeria displayed increased aggression in their attack. Chidi forced another save from Benin’s goalkeeper, Elise Kounkpaga, and Favour Nkwocha barely missed the target an hour into the match. The Flamingos took the lead in the 62nd minute when substitute Kindness Ifeanyi’s powerful shot was saved, but Adegbuyi was on hand to score from the rebound, making it 2-1.

However, the lead was short-lived. Just 11 minutes later, Nazifatou Dangui equalized for Benin with a finish that stemmed from a build-up initiated by Gandonou. Nigeria responded almost immediately, as Ifeanyi scored the winning goal two minutes after Benin's equalizer, heading in from a corner kick to make it 3-2.

This result puts Nigeria in a favorable position ahead of the return leg, which is scheduled for next Saturday at Stade Kégué in Lomé, Togo. The overall winner across the two legs will earn a place in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted in Morocco.