Akin Ayomide
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, rounded off their pre-World Cup preparations with a 3–2 victory over Paraguay in Casablanca on Tuesday.
It took just two minutes for the Nigerians to open the scoring, as goalkeeper Elizabeth Boniface launched a long pass that found Shakirat Moshood, whose clever assist set up Mariam Yahaya to chip the Paraguayan goalkeeper for the opener.
Paraguay levelled in the 15th minute after a defensive lapse from Christiana Sunday handed them an easy goal.
Yahaya, however, restored Nigeria’s lead in the 44th minute, finishing clinically from close range, before completing her hat-trick a minute later after an intelligent through ball from Kaosarat Olanrewaju.
The Flamingos went into the break with a comfortable 3–1 advantage.
The second half saw the West Africans dominate proceedings, with Moshood and Ayomide Abubakar both forcing fine saves from the Paraguayan goalkeeper.
Substitute Sylvia Echefu also impressed, making crucial stops to deny the South Americans.
Although Paraguay pulled one back late in the game, the Flamingos held firm to seal a win, their 12th friendly match, in which they have now scored 50 goals and conceded only six.
According to the team’s media officer, Dorcas Koki, the Bankole Olowookere-led side will depart for Rabat on Wednesday morning to finalise preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which begins on October 17.
Nigeria is drawn in Group D alongside Canada, France and Samoa.