U17 WWCQ Liberia 1 Nigeria 4: Moshood, Effiong, Chidi,  Ifitezue on target for free-scoring Flamingos

The Flamingos took on Liberia in the first leg of the final round of the 2024 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup qualifiers which was played at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium, Monrovia on Sunday evening.

Nigeria would triumph over the host 4-1 to put them in a good position ahead of the second leg which will take place at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Friday.

The coach of the side Bankole Olowokoore named an unchanged team to the side that thrashed Burkina Faso last month in Abuja.

The Flamingos thought they had taken the lead in the 13th minute but the effort was ruled out due to an infringement on the Liberian goalkeeper.

Six minutes later, they eventually opened the scoring through Shakirat Moshood before Peace Effiong doubled the lead to take her tally to four goals in the last two games. 

Chidi Harmony who bagged a hat-trick against Burkina Faso last month gave the away side a three-goal cushion in the 36th minute to put the Flamingos in complete control of the game.

Nigeria held onto their three-goal advantage till the end of the first half, with Liberia unable to match their sheer quality.

In a bid to keep the team refreshed, Olowokoore made his first set of changes in the 64th minute with Harmony being one of the players taken off.

Ten minutes later, the coach's decision was justified as substitute Blessing Ifitezeu netted the fourth goal of the encounter for Nigeria.

Three minutes before the end of the regulation time, Liberia finally put one back from the penalty spot following a mistake from Onyedikachi Ekezie.

Nigeria will now take a three-goal advantage into the second leg and will need at least a draw to book their spot for the World Cup.

The Flamingos have tallied twenty-three goals across five games in the qualifiers, with Chidi acocunting for ten goals. 

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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