Nigeria U17 women’s team head coach Akeem Busari says the Flamingos remain focused despite holding a commanding first-leg advantage ahead of the second leg of their 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup second-round qualifier against Guinea, www.aclsports.com reports.
The Flamingos secured a 5-0 away victory in the first leg, but Busari stressed ahead of the return fixture at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne that the result in Guinea was behind them and his players must remain focused and consistent.
“Like I said before the first game, the team is still in a building process,” Busari said.
“What we did in Guinea has passed in Guinea. We want to continue from where we stopped. It is not about changing the team, it is about consistency and what we want to inculcate in them.
“It is about team mentality because the Guineans want to fight back and show their strength. We want to see how our players respond in this kind of situation. These are the things that will help us when we get to more challenging levels.”
Busari said his side would not underestimate Guinea, insisting that every team deserves respect in tournament football.
“I don’t write any team off when we come into tournaments. Every team has a role to play and, at the end of it all, one team will win. We will not leave any stone unturned. We want them to know that this is Nigeria and we know how to do it better,” he said.
Despite carrying a five-goal advantage into the match, Busari said the game remains important as it gives the team an opportunity to perform in front of their home supporters for the first time in the qualifiers.
“Tomorrow’s game is very important because we have not played in front of our crowd before,” he explained.
“Playing away was like experimenting with what we worked on during our preparatory period. Playing at home is about looking at what worked for us, checking our areas of deficiency and our strong points, and showing ourselves again.
“We know they are going to fight back, but we have to focus on what worked for us in the first leg.”
Team captain Harmony Chidi, who scored a hat-trick in the first leg, credited her teammates and coaches for her impressive performance.
“I cannot say I did it alone. My teammates contributed to the goals and without my coaches giving me the opportunity to play, maybe I would not have scored those goals. I give all the glory to God,” Chidi said.
The captain also insisted the Flamingos are not taking Guinea lightly.
“One thing I have come to believe is that you should never look down on any team. My teammates and I have left the scoreline in Guinea behind us. We are taking tomorrow’s game as our first game of the qualifiers. We are not thinking about the fact that we have already played a match,” she added.
Meanwhile, Guinea head coach Amadou Kain Camara expressed gratitude for the reception his team has received in Nigeria and maintained that his side remains determined despite the first-leg defeat.
“Before I start, I really want to appreciate the Nigeria Football Federation for the way they received us and welcomed us. They made us feel at home,” Camara said.
“We know Nigeria are a strong side and we have also prepared for this match. We believe that as we enter this match, we are going to do our best.”
Asked what his side must do differently in the second leg, Camara said his players remain motivated despite the deficit.
“We know we lost 5-0, but we have prepared and we are ready for this match. We are ready to do our best to make sure we come out victorious,” he added.
Guinea captain Aicha Kouyate also expressed confidence ahead of the encounter.
“We are going to do everything possible to see how we can play this match and win,” Kouyate said.
The winner on aggregate will progress to the final round of the qualification series for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.
