South Africa have set up a tantalizing clash with Nigeria's Flamingos in the second round of the qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
While Nigeria, one of Africa’s representatives at the last World Cup, received a bye in the first round, South Africa had to face Gabon to advance.
Bantwana progressed in emphatic fashion, dismantling Gabon 21-2 on aggregate, with a 12-1 away victory followed by a 9-1 triumph at home.
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In Saturday’s second-leg match at Lucas Moripe Stadium, South Africa added to their commanding first-leg lead, with goals from Nomfundo Nzuza and Lilani Horak, who each scored hat-tricks. Khwezi Khoza, Katlego Mohale, and Leonay Kock also found the net.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has yet to confirm the exact dates for South Africa’s two-legged encounter with Nigeria, but the fixtures are set to take place in March.
Despite the impressive performance against Gabon, South Africa’s head coach, Ntombifuthi Khumalo, has emphasised the need to strengthen the squad to stand a chance against Nigeria.
“Since 60 per cent of our squad is made up of 15- and 16-year-olds, we need at least 30 per cent of the team to be 17-year-olds to match the strength of the Nigerians,” Khumalo explained as per SabcSport.
“Yes, tactically they are good, like us, but if you measure pound-for-pound, our players are not ready for that. We need reinforcements.”
Khumalo stressed the importance of comprehensive preparation, including a longer training camp and friendly matches, to ensure the team is competitive.
“If we can get support to bring in reinforcements, I believe we have more quality players who deserve to be part of the team. A longer camp and friendly games will also help us prepare better for the next round,” she added.
The second round of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers will take place between March 7-16, with matches played on a home-and-away basis. The third round is scheduled for April.
Africa have five spots in the tournament, including an automatic berth for hosts Morocco. The remaining four slots will be contested among the continent's top teams, with the World Cup set to run from October 17 to November 8, 2025.
