Nigeria’s Flamingos and their counterparts from Burkina Faso battled to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the third round qualifiers for the 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup on Saturday.
With Burkina Faso failing to provide a good enough venue, the match was played at the Stade 26 March Stadium in Bamako, Mali.
Chidi Harmony opened scoring for Nigeria in the second half while Rainata Oubda equalized for Burkina Faso late in the game.
Despite Nigeria’s early dominance and control of the game, both teams struggled to score in the first half due to a combination of missed opportunities and solid defending.
However, the momentum shifted in the 55th minute when Harmony broke the deadlock for Nigeria.
Despite having another chance to extend Nigeria’s lead, her effort went wide, allowing Burkina Faso to capitalize on a defensive error and level the score through Oubda.
The return leg is set to take place on the 18th of May at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja where the winner will secure a spot in the fourth and final round of the qualifiers.
The victors will then face the winner of the match between Senegal and Liberia for a chance to compete at the 2024 World Cup in the Dominican Republic.