Benin U-17 women’s national team head coach, Idah Azonsou, remains confident her side can overturn their first-leg deficit and secure a historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup at the expense of Nigeria’s Flamingos.
The Young Amazons suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat to the Flamingos in the first leg of the final qualifying round but will have the opportunity to fight back in the return leg scheduled for Saturday at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo.
Despite the setback, Azonsou praised her players for their determination against one of Africa’s strongest youth teams, saying they matched Nigeria for long periods of the game.
The Benin coach admitted that defensive mistakes proved costly but insisted her team has identified areas that need improvement ahead of the decisive second leg.
Azonsou expressed confidence that playing in familiar surroundings would boost her team’s chances, maintaining that the qualification race remains wide open.
The winner on aggregate will secure one of Africa’s places at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
