Bantwana ready to clear a Nigeria corner kick .Image : GIFT NDOLWANE

GIFT NDOLWANE
JOHANNESBURG – HEAD coach of the Nigeria women’s Under-17  national team, Bala Nikyu, has spoken of seeing the girls emulate their male counterparts by winning the junior World Cup.

He spoke to Gauteng Guardian after his team qualified for the global tournament scheduled for Jordan in September and October.

The West Africans knocked South Africa en-route to the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) organized tournament with a 7-0 aggregate score.

“We must continue to build before the World Cup in September we should have a winning team that represent the African continent and hopefully win the World Cup,” Nikyu said in an interview after his side dispatched the hosts at the Makhulong Stadium in Ekurhuleni.

He said the Flamingoes, as the side is also known, were inspired by the exploits of the men’s junior national team, who are the reigning champions of the Under 17 FIFA World Cup.

The boys beat the United States 2-0 at the tournament played in Chile in 2015.

The Flamingoes have joined fellow Africans Cameroon and Ghana to represent the continent at the FIFA extravaganza.

Countries that have also qualified include hosts Jordan, Japan, North Korea, United States of America, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela and New Zealand.

The competition is set for September 30 to October 21.