Women’s U17 World Cup 2026 (Q): the Amazons lose to Nigeria but keep hope alive

The U17 Amazons lost to Nigeria (3-2) this Saturday at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, in the first leg of the third round of qualifiers for the 2026 U17 Women’s World Cup. The players under Idah Azonsou started the match perfectly, taking the lead within the first quarter of an hour. Very prominent, Romaine Gandonou rewarded the good start of the Beninese girls by scoring in the 15th minute.

However, the Flamingos quickly responded. More enterprising as the minutes went by, the Nigerians equalized before halftime, bringing both teams to a tie (1-1) at the end of the first 45 minutes. After the break, the pressure exerted by the locals eventually paid off. Nigeria took the lead in the 62nd minute, forcing the Amazons to chase the score. However, the Beninese team showed character. In the 72nd minute, Nazifatou Dangui, perfectly assisted by Romaine Gandonou, brought the two teams back to level, rekindling the suspense.

But the joy of the Beninese was short-lived. Moments later, the Flamingos scored a third goal, securing a 3-2 victory in a particularly contested match. Despite this setback, the Amazons leave Nigeria with a one-goal deficit, a gap that keeps their hopes alive for the return leg. They will try to turn the situation around on Saturday, July 11 at Kégué Stadium in Lomé, where the qualification for the 2026 U17 Women’s World Cup will be at stake.