Flamingoes Were Too Big For My Girls – Zambia’s U-17 Coacha

The Zambian U-17 Coach, Beauty Mwamba, at the weekend blamed the 0-5 loss to Nigeria in the African qualifier for the FIFA U-17 Women Cup finals in Azerbaijan on over-age players.

Speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta, Coach Mwamba accused the Flamingoes of fielding over-age players in the encounter, adding, however, that she had no proof to substantiate her allegation.

“The Nigerian side fielded over-age players who were too big for my girls.

“I don’t have proof; but I am sure that their girls are well over the age specification,” the Shepolopolo coach said.

The Peter Dedevbo-tutored team qualified for the September World Cup finals in Azerbaijan on 7-2 aggregate, having won the first leg 2-1 a fortnight ago in Lusaka.

Patience Okaeme netted the first goal of the match in the first minute, while Halimatu Ibrahim doubled the score in the 14th minute.

Nigeria’s Chidinma Edeji scored a brace to increase the goal tally to four.

Mabel Michael scored Nigeria’s fifth goal in the 88th minute.

Coach Dedevbo said he was excited over the team’s performance, adding that he would correct the lapses noticed in the team before the commencement of the world championship in September.

“We don’t have a world cup team, just a qualifying team,” he said.