U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifier: Flamingoes’ll Beat Kenya – Coach

Peter Dedevbo, the Chief Coach of the Flamingoes, the female U-17 team of Nigeria, has assured football fans across the country that his team will demolish Kenya when both sides clash in the African qualifier for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be hosted by Azerbaijan later in the year.

Dedevbo, whose team arrived Nairobi on Friday, was confident of the players winning the first leg tie, stressing that the strategy is to pummel the Kenyans with goals in the first half to wrap up the game. He noted that weather in Kenya won’t affect his players.

“I am very confident of this team winning the game against Kenya in Nairobi. These girls are very young and from what I have seen in the camp, the Kenyans will not be able to stand my team at all. I am not afraid of the weather in Nairobi. Our game plan is to demolish Kenya with goals in the first half and make the second half easy for us,” Dedevbo said.

He affirmed that the country still remains a force to be reckoned with in women football in Africa and Kenya is not in a class to upstage Nigeria.

“Nigerians should not be apprehensive over the Flamingoes. We are still a force to be reckoned with in Africa and a team like Kenya cannot create an upset against Nigeria in women football on the continent. Our determination is to beat Kenya and make the return leg a mere formality,” he said.

The game comes up on Saturday by 2p.m. Nigerian time.

Meanwhile, Coordinator of Nigerian women teams, Aisha Falode believes the Flamingoes, have what it takes to beat Kenya on Saturday.

Falode, who travelled to Nairobi with the team on Thursday night, said she had spoken to the players and they are determined to go for victory in the tie.

“I have been assured by the girls that they will give the match their all. Nigeria is still the leading country in African women football and we cannot afford to slip. The Flamingoes know what this means and they have assured the technical crew that they will go all out for victory in the match. I have also watched their training sessions and the practice matches they played and I am convinced that they will fly the flag well,” Falode, a member of the Media Committee of the Confederation of African Football, CAF said.

—Francis Achi/Abuja