U17 Women World CupQ: Harmony Chidi hat-trick powers Nigeria past Burkina Faso to final playoff

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team defeated their counterparts from Burkina Faso to advance to the fourth and final qualifying round for the 2024 FIFA U17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic, Soccernet.ng reports. 

The Flamingos powered to a well-deserved [6-0] win over their West African neighbours inside the National Stadium in Abuja to secure a [7-1] aggregate victory.

Harmony Chidi was Nigeria’s outstanding performer as the young forward netted an excellent hat-trick while Peace Effiong claimed a brace to inspire the Flamingos to another huge win.

It would be recalled that the two teams played out a [1-1] draw at the Stade 26 Mars in Bamako, Mali, last week.

However, the Flamingos were in no mood for niceties in Abuja on Saturday as the coach Bankole Olowookere took a two-goal lead into the halftime break.

Chidi gave Nigeria the lead in the 11th minute before Peace Effiong doubled the advantage just past the half-hour mark.

Nigeria extended the superiority after the interval with Chidi heading home her second of the match and the Flamingos’ third and Ramota Kareem’s brilliant effort compounded the woes for the visitors.

Chidi completed her hat-trick four minutes from time before Peace Effiong bagged her second of the encounter as the rampant Flamingos made light work of Burkina Faso.

The Flamingos’ [6-0] win equals Nigeria’s biggest win during the qualifiers and the country’s best result since beating Azerbaijan 11-0 at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in 2012.

Nigeria have now advanced to the final qualifying round of the 2024 Women’s World Cup, where Flamingos will face either Senegal or Liberia.

The Flamingos won a bronze medal at the 2022 edition of the U17 Women’s World Cup in India after beating Germany in the third-place match.