Nigeria’s Flamingos head coach, Akeem Busari, has revealed that a crucial tactical switch inspired his team’s thrilling victory over Benin Republic and secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The Flamingos overcame their West African neighbours 5-3 in the second leg in Lomé to complete an impressive 8-5 aggregate victory and book another appearance at the global showpiece.
Read Also: Nigeria’s Flamingos Defeat Benin in Kegue, Qualify for 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
Reflecting on the encounter, Busari said his technical crew deliberately abandoned the team’s familiar 4-3-3 formation after studying Benin’s approach in the first leg.
“We changed our tactics from 4-3-3 because it’s all about tactics,” Busari said after the match.
“They were expecting us to play one way, but we introduced something different. It’s about team philosophy, understanding and the attitude of the players.”
The coach acknowledged the quality of the Benin side, noting that they had improved significantly and posed a serious challenge throughout the two-legged qualifier.
“From the first leg, we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. They showed character and proved to be a difficult team. They have quality players and a good future ahead of them,” he said.
Busari explained that Nigeria’s high-intensity pressing and refusal to abandon their identity ultimately gave the Flamingos the edge.
“We decided to play our own style. We don’t allow teams to settle on the ball. We press aggressively, win the ball high up the pitch and force them into mistakes. That style made it very difficult for them to cope.”
The entertaining encounter saw Mary Akpan Dunstan open the scoring before Esther Enne Stephen doubled Nigeria’s advantage.
Queen Joseph delivered a sensational performance with a hat-trick, while Romaine Gandonou netted twice and Hermionne Lokossou also scored for Benin Republic.
With the victory, the Flamingos have successfully qualified for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where they will aim to build on Nigeria’s proud history in the competition and challenge for global honours once again.
