India 2022: Flamingos Kick Off World Cup Race With Cracker In Kinshasa

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OBIDIGWE AFAMUDI COSMAS

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Nigeria’s U-17 girls, Flamingos will kickstart their chase for a ticket to this year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup finals with a second round, first leg tie against their counterparts of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa on Sunday.

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The Flamingos, quarter finalists at the FIFA World Cup finals in 2010, 2012 and 2014, have been in camp for some weeks in the Federal Capital, Abuja and Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has selected 20 players who will do the battle with the characteristically –feisty Congolese on Sunday.

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In the squad are two goalkeepers, seven defenders, four midfielders and seven forwards.

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Nigeria have participated in every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, bar one, since the tournament was launched in New Zealand in 2018. The only finals the Flamingos have missed remain the 2018 finals staged in Uruguay, when they were tripped at the final hurdle by Cameroon on the away-goal rule.

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The return leg is scheduled for the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City on Saturday, 19^th March, with the winner over two legs to clash with the Egyptian U17 girls in the third round of the African qualifying campaign next month.

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The Nigeria delegation to Kinshasa will depart the shores of Nigeria on Friday.

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FLAMINGOS HEADING TO KINSHASA

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Goalkeepers: Faith Omilana; Linda Jiwuaku

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Defenders: Blessing Sunday; Comfort Folorunsho; Confidence Uwoha; Tumininu Adeshina; Mamusoz Edafe; Miracle Usani; Olamide Oyinlola

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Midfielders: Blessing Emmanuel; Taiwo Afolabi; Chidera Okenwa; Aminat Bello

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Forwards: Sofiat Bankole; Dah-Zossu Alvine; Anastasia Atume; Kafayat Bashiru; Raheemot Adebayo; Joy Igbokwe; Opeyemi Ajakaye​