Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have advanced to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco following a 2-1 victory over Mexico in their Round of 16 encounter in Rabat on Thursday.
Key Highlights
- Flamingos beat Mexico 2-1 in the Round of 16 in Rabat.
- Oluebube Umejiaku and Mary Dunstan scored for Nigeria.
- Camila Campos pulled one back for Mexico deep into added time.
- Nigeria face Venezuela on Sunday for a semi-final place.
- Anthony Adeboye and Emmanuel Ikpeme pledge a combined ₦3 million to the players.
The Nigerian side delivered a determined performance to overcome the Mexicans, with goals from Oluebube Umejiaku and Mary Dunstan securing their place among the tournament’s final eight teams.
How The Match Unfolded
Mexico threatened early, with Citlalli Reyes and Natalia Perez attempting to break the deadlock in the fourth and seventh minutes, respectively.
However, Nigeria remained composed and gradually grew into the contest.
Kanyinsola Yusuf and Dunstan came close to giving the Flamingos the lead with efforts in the 29th and 30th minutes before Umejiaku eventually opened the scoring five minutes before the interval.
The Nigerian forward displayed impressive individual skill in the 40th minute, weaving her way through three Mexican defenders before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Lopez to give her team a deserved advantage.
The Flamingos maintained their momentum after the restart, controlling proceedings and putting pressure on their opponents.
Head coach Hakeem Busari was forced to make a change after Oluwakemi Adegbuyi sustained a knock in the first half, introducing Precious Oscar in her place.
Nigeria strengthened their grip on the match in the 71st minute when Dunstan finished from close range to double the lead and register her first goal of the tournament.
Mexico continued to push for a response and eventually reduced the deficit in the 10th minute of added time, with Camila Campos beating Nigeria goalkeeper Jane Ijirigho.
The late goal created a tense finish, but the Flamingos held on to secure the victory and progress to the quarter-finals.
Read also:
- Ikpeme Charges Flamingos To Beat Mexico, Reach U-17 World Cup Quarter-Finals
- Flamingos Face North Korea In Crucial U-17 Women’s World Cup Match
- Flamingos Beat Puerto Rico 2-0 to Boost Nigeria’s U-17 Women’s World Cup Hopes
Venezuela Next As Flamingos Earn ₦3m Reward
Nigeria will face Venezuela on Sunday for a place in the semi-finals. Venezuela booked their quarter-final ticket after eliminating Germany in their Round of 16 fixture on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the team’s achievement has attracted financial rewards from two Nigerian football stakeholders.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Anthony Adeboye, pledged ₦2 million to the players in recognition of their victory, while the Nigeria Football Federation’s acting General Secretary, Emmanuel Ikpeme, promised an additional ₦1 million.
The pledges bring the total announced reward to ₦3 million as the Flamingos prepare for their next challenge in the competition.
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