Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, made history by defeating Brazil 3-1 in the semi-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup held in Rabat, Morocco. This victory marks the first time Nigeria has reached the final of this prestigious tournament.
Awawu Bashiru scored two goals, while Queen Joseph netted one, leading the Flamingos to an emphatic win. Despite Brazil’s late goal by Greise Kelly in the 89th minute, the Nigerian team maintained their lead and secured their place in the championship match.
The match began with both teams exhibiting strong attacking moves, although the first half concluded without any goals. The breakthrough finally came in the 56th minute when Joseph found the back of the net, igniting the Flamingos’ offensive efforts. Bashiru then extended Nigeria’s lead with goals in the 71st and 80th minutes, demonstrating their dominance throughout the match.
This victory guarantees Nigeria at least a silver medal, surpassing their previous best performance when they secured bronze in the 2022 edition in India. The Flamingos’ journey to the final has been remarkable, overcoming an initial loss to Poland to achieve four consecutive victories, including wins over Puerto Rico, defending champions DPR Korea, and Mexico.
Nigeria will face Japan in the final on Saturday, aiming to secure their first-ever world title in the U-17 Women’s World Cup.
