WAFU B U17: Chidi’s hat-trick Sends Flamingos To Semifinals

Scoring sensation Harmony Chidi notched a hat-trick as Nigeria edged Cote d’Ivoire 3-2 in their second match of the WAFU B U17 Girls’ Cup in Accra yesterday to reach the semifinals.

Chidi, who netted 13 of the 25 goals as the Flamingos crushed everything on their path in Africa to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic this year, took matters into her own hands to ensure Nigeria finished top of group B of the inaugural competition.

Following their 9-0 whiplash of Niger Republic on Thursday, the Flamingos finished the group campaign with the six maximum points, and with 12 goals for and only two against, while Cote d’Ivoire, 5-0 winners over the Nigeriens, came second with three points and seven goals for, three against. The Nigeriens finished without a point, and with no goal, 14 against.

The young Ivorian girls will go up against hosts, Black Maidens of Ghana in the first semi-final of the competition on Thursday, before the second semi-final that will see FIFA World Cup quarter-finalists Nigeria tackle neighbours Benin Republic at the Ghana Centre of Excellence in Prampram.

Esther Kwame, who scored the Ivorians’ first goal against Nigeria with a far-distance shot in the 56th minute, and Guasam, who scored from the penalty spot to reduce the tally five minutes later after a foul by Rokibat Azeez, could prove a handful for the Black Maidens on Thursday.