Flamingos head coach Akeem Busari has warned his players to forget their impressive victory over Ghana and give Burkina Faso maximum respect as Nigeria look to maintain their perfect start at the WAFU-B U-17 Girls’ Cup in Yamoussoukro.
Nigeria head into Monday’s encounter after winning their opening two matches, scoring nine goals in the process following a 5-0 demolition of Niger Republic and a thrilling 4-2 victory over Ghana.
Despite that flying start, Busari insists the Flamingos cannot afford to underestimate any opponent.
The coach believes the standard of women’s football across Africa continues to improve and has told his players to approach Burkina Faso with the same seriousness demanded against stronger-established opposition.
His message follows the philosophy he outlined at the start of the competition, when he made clear that results alone would not determine the value of Nigeria’s campaign.
“The tournament will help us to know our strengths and deficiencies before the World Cup,” Busari said while explaining why the WAFU-B competition was important to his preparations.
That bigger objective remains central as Nigeria prepare for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. The regional tournament is being used as competitive preparation for both Nigeria and Ghana ahead of the global championship.
Burkina Faso enter Monday’s encounter having suffered a 4-0 defeat to Ghana earlier in the tournament, but Busari does not want that result influencing his players’ mentality.
Instead, he wants the victory over Ghana immediately placed in the past as the Flamingos prepare for another examination.
For Busari, Nigeria’s nine goals and perfect record mean little once the whistle sounds again.
The message to his players is straightforward: respect Burkina Faso, stick to the plan and leave absolutely nothing to chance.
