Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, will today depart the shores of the country for Bamako, capital of Mali ahead of Saturday’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup African qualification series third round, first leg encounter against their counterparts from Burkina Faso.
The Nigerian girls have failed to appear in only one edition of the competition (Uruguay 2018) since it was launched in New Zealand in 2008, and are set for a handsome win in the Malian capital to make the return leg in Abuja on May 18 a formality.
Despite a 9-1 hammering of their opponents in a preparatory game, Head Coach Bankole Olowookere insisted his girls have to realize there is a difference between training sessions and match situations, and learn to convert all their opportunities during games.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football has made a change to the fourth official of Saturday’s match at the Stade 26 March in Bamako. Originally, Joselyn Nsabimana was to be the fourth official alongside Burundi compatriots Suavis Iratunga, Fides Bangurambona and Alida Iradukunda who will be referee, assistant 1 and assistant 2 respectively.
However, CAF has now appointed Teneba Bagayoko from Mali to be the fourth official. Oumou Souleyman Kane from Mauritania and Aya Irene Ahoua from Cote d’Ivoire have been retained as commissioner and referee assessor respectively.