Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Cote d’Ivoire on Monday, December 16, 2024, to claim top spot in Group B and progress to the semifinals of the WAFU B U-17 Girls’ Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
The match, played in Accra, was decided by a spectacular hat-trick from Harmony Chidi, whose clinical finishing proved the difference in a tense encounter.
Coming off an emphatic 9-0 demolition of the Niger Republic in their opener, the Flamingos faced a confident Ivory Coast side that had also breezed past Niger with a 5-0 win.
Both teams entered the game knowing victory would guarantee their place in the semifinals.
Chidi opened the scoring early on, finishing off a precise counterattack to give Nigeria the lead.
However, the Ivorians, led by their dynamic forward Kaholo Claire Elvyre Zaddy, responded with an equaliser before halftime.
In the second half, Chidi struck twice more, including a stunning solo effort, to complete her hat-trick and restore Nigeria’s dominance. Despite a late goal from Cote d’Ivoire, the Flamingos held on for a vital win.
Zaddy’s performance earned her the Woman of the Match award, but it was Chidi who stole the headlines with her match-winning display.
With six points from two games, the Flamingos topped Group B and set up a semifinal clash with Benin Republic. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast will face tournament hosts Ghana in the other semifinal.