Nigeria’s female U17 team, The Flamingoes, defeated hosts Baby She-Polopolo of Zambia 2-1 in a 2012 FIFA World Cup qualifying first leg match in Lusaka Saturday.


Two-goal heroine from the match against Kenya in Nairobi in the previous round, Patience Okaeme, and dazzling playmaker, Halimat Ayinde, scored for Nigeria early in the second half.

The Zambians, 7-1 winners over Botswana in the earlier round, got a consolation goal through Mukuka Mupela.

The Flamingoes dominated this clash at the Nkoloma Stadium despite a scoreless first half after the game suffered a 30 minute kick-off delay due to a heavy downpour.

Baby Shepolopolo were lucky not to have been 2-0 down before the first half hour when goalkeeper Susan Nalwamba kept out two certain goals from Chidima Ledfyi in the 20th and 29th minutes.

Head coach Peter Dedevbo said at the end: “Yes, I am happy that we won, but it could have been by a much bigger margin. All the same, we savour the victory and now look ahead to the second leg in Nigeria.”

The win ensures the Nigerian girls put one leg firmly in Azerbaijan for their third consecutive appearance at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals, with earlier outings in New Zealand 2008 and Trinidad and Tobago 2010.

The return leg comes up at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta on Saturday, March 24.

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