Nigeria’s Flamingos will put their perfect record on the line on Thursday when they face hosts Côte d’Ivoire in their fourth match at the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls’ Cup in Yamoussoukro.
The Nigerian U-17 women have won all three of their matches so far and sit top of the table with nine points. Côte d’Ivoire are second with six points from three games, making Thursday’s meeting an important clash between the top two sides.
The match is scheduled for 7pm Nigerian time at the Lycée Scientifique in Yamoussoukro.
Coach Akeem Busari’s side have made an impressive start to the competition, scoring 11 goals across their opening three matches while conceding just two.
Nigeria began their campaign with a commanding 5-0 victory over Niger Republic before defeating Ghana 4-2 in a six-goal encounter.
Their latest outing was a more difficult test, but the Flamingos eventually overcame Burkina Faso 2-0 after two late goals. Mary Dunstan broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute before Oluwakemi Adegbuyi sealed the victory in stoppage time.
The result against Burkina Faso showed another side of the Nigerian team.
Instead of an early goal rush, the Flamingos had to remain patient against a disciplined defence. Nigeria created chances but struggled to find the breakthrough until Dunstan finally opened the scoring.
Busari has since stressed the need for patience and better decision-making when opponents defend deep.
That could prove important again against Côte d’Ivoire.
The hosts will be determined to make home advantage count.
Côte d’Ivoire have collected six points from their three matches and remain firmly in contention. Their position behind Nigeria means a victory for the hosts would bring them closer to the Flamingos with one game remaining for both teams.
Nigeria, therefore, cannot afford to underestimate their opponents, playing the hosts in their own country also brings an additional challenge, with the Ivorian players expected to have strong support from the home crowd.
For the Flamingos, maintaining their tactical discipline will be just as important as their attacking quality.
Nigeria’s results have been convincing, but their recent performance against Burkina Faso highlighted an area that still needs attention.
The Flamingos controlled much of the match and created opportunities, yet they needed more than 80 minutes to break the deadlock.
Busari acknowledged that young players can sometimes become impatient when goals do not arrive quickly. He has called for greater understanding of the game and better execution in front of goal.
Against a Côte d’Ivoire side that will be eager to compete, Nigeria may need to be more clinical.
The attacking options available to Busari have already produced goals throughout the tournament. Adegbuyi, Dunstan, captain Harmony Chidi and Kaosarat Akanji have all found the net during the campaign.
That attacking depth gives Nigeria different ways to hurt their opponents.
The WAFU-B tournament is about more than regional success for Nigeria.
The competition is also part of the Flamingos’ preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, which is scheduled for later this year.
The experience of facing different tactical approaches in Côte d’Ivoire is therefore valuable for Busari and his players.
Nigeria have already faced a high-scoring contest against Ghana and a more defensive Burkina Faso side. The encounter with the hosts will provide another test before the team turns its full attention to the global tournament.
With three wins from three, the Flamingos have given themselves a strong platform heading into the final stages of the tournament.
However, the job is not finished, after the Côte d’Ivoire fixture, Nigeria are scheduled to face Togo on September 27 in their final league match.
A fourth consecutive victory would strengthen Nigeria’s position at the top and keep their perfect record intact going into the final game.
The Flamingos have already shown they can score freely, respond to difficult situations and find late solutions when opponents make life difficult.
Now they face perhaps their most significant test of the campaign so far.
Nigeria vs Côte d’Ivoire will not only be a battle for three points. It will be another opportunity for the Flamingos to prove that their impressive run is built on more than just goals but also patience, discipline and the ability to handle pressure.
