Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team,
the Flamingos, have sealed their spot in the Round of 16 of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco following a convincing 4-0 victory over Samoa in their final Group A match on Saturday in Rabat.
The result marked a strong comeback for the team after a difficult start to the tournament, where they suffered a 1-4 loss to Canada and a narrow 0-1 defeat to France. Facing a must-win situation, the Flamingos rose to the occasion, displaying determination, pace, and attacking flair to secure qualification.
Forward Queen Joseph led the charge with a brace, taking her tally to three goals in the competition. Team captain Shakirat Moshood added a penalty goal, while defender Azeezat Oduntan rounded off the scoring with a well-placed finish in the second half.
Nigeria took control early, opening the scoring in the 13th minute when Joseph latched onto a through pass from Moshood and lobbed the ball past Samoan goalkeeper Grace Ae.
Despite Ae’s early heroics—pulling off a quick save from Chisom Nwachukwu moments later—the pressure mounted as Moshood converted a spot-kick in the 27th minute after Holly Leapai handled the ball inside the box.
The Flamingos continued to dominate, and Joseph struck again in the 36th minute after a brilliant run and cross from Nguemo Terlumun. Just before halftime, Mariam Yahaya nearly extended the lead, but Ae managed to keep her low shot out.
Nigeria maintained their momentum after the break. Although Moshood missed a second penalty following a foul on Terlumun, the team’s persistence paid off in the 67th minute when Oduntan’s cross from the flank found its way into the net to seal a comprehensive 4-0 win.
Goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu also played her part, making two vital saves to secure Nigeria’s first clean sheet of the tournament.
The Flamingos, bronze medalists at the 2022 edition in India, now advance to the knockout stage, continuing their quest for a second consecutive podium finish.
The Guardian reports that Nigeria were drawn in a challenging Group A alongside France, Canada, and Samoa during the official draw held at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Rabat on June 5, 2025.
