Imo SWAN Praises Harmony Chidi, Flamingos' Consistency

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Imo State Chapter has thumbed up the performance of Harmony Chidi and the Flamingos who overwhelmed Burkina Faso 6-0 in the second leg of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifiers played last weekend at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The Flamingos thus qualified for the final round of the qualifiers 7-1 on aggregate having played 1-1 with the same Burkinabes in the first leg played in Mali.

Harmony who plays for Imo Strikers FC in Owerri scored a hat trick in the rout to add to the seven goals she earlier scored in the games with Central African Republic (6) and the first leg of the encounter with Burkina Faso played in Bamako, Mali that ended 1-1. 

SWAN, Imo chairman, Cosmos Chukwuemeka speaking through the Association's Secretary, Tunde Liadi said the Flamingos have displayed uncommon attacking prowess that is lacking in most of the country's cadet teams and he reserved special praise for Harmony whose blistering form in front of goal has helped the Nigeria's U17 women's team navigate through their opponents. 

"The Flamingos have shown that we can still have quality strikers who can take their chances at every given opportunity. Their impressive win over Burkina Faso is a testament to that," Chukwuemeka noted.

"I want to appreciate the meaningful contributions of Harmony Chidi. Her 10 goals from just four games are fantastic figures and I am certain a prolific attacker in the mould of Mercy Slide, Desire Oparanozie, Asisat Oshoala and others is born if she's well managed and remains humble."

He enjoined Flamingos not to rest on their laurels with explosive two legged encounter with Liberia on the horizon adding that they must face the West African side with all they have in their armoury so that they can scale through to the FIFA Under 17 Women's World Cup.

Nigeria's Flamingos will face Liberia in the final round of the qualifiers after the Lone Star Cadet side upset Senegal by the away goal rule applied. Both legs had ended 3-3 on aggregate but Liberia's lone strike in Dakar in a 3-1 loss proved to be invaluable.