October 27, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria’s U-17 Women’s national team, the Flamingos, have been a standout at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, displaying exceptional skill and determination while setting a new attendance record for a Dominican Republic national team match. With wins against New Zealand (4-1), Ecuador (4-0) and Dominican Republic (1-0), they have booked their place in the quarter-finals where they will face the United States on Saturday, affirming their status among the tournament’s leading teams.
The Nigerian team’s brilliant performance began during the African qualifiers, where they demonstrated their quality by scoring 25 goals across six matches. Striker Harmony Chidi led the scoring charts in qualification with 13 goals, signalling the team’s attacking intent way before the global tournament even commenced.
Their qualification campaign included commanding performances against several African teams. They defeated the Central African Republic with a 12-0 aggregate score, winning both legs 6-0. Against Burkina Faso, they moved forward with a 7-1 aggregate victory after drawing 1-1 in the first leg and winning 6-0 in the second. In their final qualification match, they overcame Liberia with a 6-1 aggregate score, winning 4-1 away and 2-0 at home.
Coach Bankole Olowookere mentioned before leaving Nigeria: “I have confidence in the girls to deliver the goods at this competition. We have come well-prepared to do even better than we did in India. The Nigeria Football Federation has done everything to prepare the team well, with a two-week final camping here in the Dominican Republic.”
Olowookere picked 21 players for the World Cup squad, comprising three goalkeepers, seven defenders, four midfielders, and seven forwards. The squad included talented players from various Nigerian clubs, with representatives from teams like Edo Queens, Sunshine Queens, Remo Stars Ladies, and Delta Queens.
The Flamingos started their World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-1 victory over New Zealand at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago. Shakirat Moshood opened the scoring in the second minute, followed by goals from Taiwo Adegoke in the 13th minute and Opeyemi Abdulwahab in the 28th minute. Taiwo Afolabi added a fourth goal in the 55th minute before Hannah Saxon scored for New Zealand. The Nigerian team controlled the match with 30 shots, 15 of which were on target.
Their second group match against Ecuador proved equally strong, resulting in a 4-0 victory. Shakirat Moshood scored in the 28th minute, while Harmony Chidi doubled the lead in the 54th minute. Peace Effiong added a third goal in the 66th minute before Moshood completed her brace in additional time. This victory confirmed their place in the quarter-finals with a game remaining.
The team’s attacking strength was evident throughout the Ecuador match. Despite several early missed chances, including forward Peace Effiong being twice denied by Ecuadorian goalkeeper Maria Rodriguez, Nigeria maintained control. Harmony Chidi, who struck the crossbar just before halftime, remained determined and found her goal in the second half through a well-placed pass from Aishat Animashaun.
In their final group match against hosts Dominican Republic, the Flamingos made history. The game drew 13,535 spectators, establishing a new attendance record for any Dominican Republic national team match. The match itself was decided by a spectacular 89th-minute strike from 24 yards by Shakirat Moshood, her fourth goal of the tournament.
Coach Olowookere made team changes for this match, bringing in Rokibat Azeez, Blessing Ifitezue, and Ramotalahi Kareem to replace Onyedikachi Ekezie, Peace Effiong, and Harmony Chidi. Despite having a goal disallowed by VAR in the 15th minute, the team kept their focus to find the winning goal.
The Flamingos ended top of Group A with maximum points from three matches, scoring nine goals while conceding only one. Their strong group stage performance has created a quarter-final meeting with the United States on Saturday.
This marks the seventh time Nigeria will play at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, having participated in all but one edition since the tournament began in 2008. Their best result came in the 2022 edition in India, where they finished third, earning the bronze medal after losing to Colombia on penalties in the semi-finals.
Looking back at their World Cup history, the Flamingos first appeared in 2008 but did not progress beyond the group stage. In 2010, they won all their group matches but fell to South Korea in the quarter-finals after extra time. The 2012 tournament in Azerbaijan saw them top their group with seven points before France eliminated them in the quarter-finals through penalties.
The 2014 edition brought similar results – maximum points in the group stage followed by a 3-0 quarter-final loss to Spain. They missed qualification for the 2018 tournament in Uruguay but returned strongly in 2022 to claim their first-ever bronze medal.
The current team built on that achievement through careful preparation, including a two-week training camp in the Dominican Republic before the tournament. Coach Olowookere’s focus on taking each match step by step has produced good results.
The Flamingos have shown excellent attacking football throughout the group stage, with multiple players scoring goals. Shakirat Moshood has been outstanding with four goals, while the defence has stayed solid, conceding just that solitary goal in three matches. Their quarter-final against the United States offers another chance for these young Nigerian footballers to show their abilities on the global stage. The team’s perfect record in the group stage has brought significant attention from Nigerian football fans.
The Flamingos at this tournament continue Nigeria’s strong tradition in women’s youth football. Their regular qualification for World Cup tournaments at this level, combined with their recent results, shows the future of women’s football in Nigeria remains promising.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
