The national under-17 women football team whipped their South African counterparts 6-0 in their encounter at the Abuja National Stadium.
The match was the final round first leg fixture in the qualifiers for the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Speaking after the match, Nikyu, said in Abuja, that his players were as good as qualifying for the competition billed for Jordan later in the year.
“I am happy with my players because they played to instructions, and I commend them for their good performance.
“Our target was to score all the goals we could in the first half, so that in the second half we would not have much to do.
“My girls listened to my instructions and did exactly what I asked them to do. We will start preparations immediately for the second leg and I can assure you that we will beat them in South Africa.
“Flamingos will make Nigerians proud at the end of the second leg game in South Africa,” he said.
On her part South Africa’s coach Maud Khumalo said her team would be going back home to work on their mistakes.
“Nigeria was able to score all these goals because of the silly and unavoidable mistakes from my players.
“I can understand and pardon the young lads because this is the first time they were playing in an international match.
“We are going back home to work and correct all our mistakes and I promise that the return leg will be a more serious game,’’ she said.
The Nigerian side had earlier in the qualifiers silenced hosts Namibia 5-0 in the second round second leg game of the qualifiers.
This was after a 4-0 win in the firstr leg, and they thus advanced 9-0 on aggregate.
In Saturday’s match, Team captain Rasheedat Ajibade scored four goals while a brace from Yetunde Fajobi, all in the first half, ensured the Flamingos take a commanding lead to the second leg game.
The Bantwana came into the game, looking like a team with the aspiration of at least keeping a clean sheet, but they were unable to curtail the Nigerian girls’ firepower.
Fajobi began the rout as early as in the second minute before Ajibade doubled the lead some minutes later.
Ajibade went on to score her second and third goals in the 28th and 32nd minutes respectively.
Fajobi scored her second and the game’s fourth in the 36th minute.
Ajibade completed her hat-trick two minutes later before adding another with a lovely strike in the 41st minute to potentially end the dreams of the South Africans.
The second half of the game saw no goal being scored as the South Africans strived thereafter to ensure minimal damage ahead of the second leg in a fortnight’s time.
Nigeria has participated in all previous FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final competitions, from New Zealand 2008 to Trinidad and Tobago 2010, Azerbaijan 2012 and Costa Rica 2014.
The team reached the quarter finals in the last three editions.
Africa has three tickets at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan.
The other qualifiers to be decided within the weekend will see Ghana facing Morocco, and Cameroon taking on Egypt.
