National under-17 women team resumes camp Sunday ahead World Cup qualifiers

The national under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingoes, will return to camp on Sunday in preparation for the final qualifying stage for the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition will hold from Sept. 30 to Oct. 21 in Jordan.

Flamingoes’ coach Bala Nikyu told NAN in Abuja on Friday that all the players who were in the team for the second round of the qualifiers were expected in camp.

NAN reports that the Flamingoes had beaten the Baby Gladiators of Namibia 4-0 and 5-0 in the last round and will now face South Africa in the final round.

“We are resuming this Sunday to begin camping in Abuja in preparation for the final round of the World Cup qualifier against South Africa.

“We have a team already. The players who prosecuted the home and away matches against Namibia are automatically invited to the team’s Serob Legacy Hotel camp in Abuja.

“We can only make slight changes if we have exceptional players who can displace any of the old ones,’’ Nikyu said.

The players are goalkeepers Cynthia Nnadozie and Nimot Ajayi, as well as defenders Esther Adeboye, Joy Duru, Patience Dike, Onyinyechi Ibe and Ijeoma Kenneth.

Others are midfielders Ramat Abdulkareem, Peace Efih, Precious Oyagbarh, Christy Ucheibe and Folashade Ijamilusi, while the forwards are Rasheedat Ajibade, Cynthia Aku, Yetunde Fajobi, Rejoice Ikoyo, Kikelomo Olaiya and Chidinma Okeke.

NAN reports that the Nigerian girls who beat Namibia 9-0 aggregate will host their South African counterparts in the weekend of March 11 to March 13 in Abuja.

The return leg will hold between March 25 and March 27, with the winners over two legs automatically going through to the World Cup finals scheduled for four Jordanian cities.

The Flamingoes have never failed to qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals since the event debuted in New Zealand in 2008.