The Nigerian Under-17 female national team, the Flamingos, defeated Chile 2-1 on Monday at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.
The Flamingos applied pressure on the Chileans early and it paid off in the fourth minute when Blessing Emmanuel, the team’s captain, fired a low shot that nestled in the lower left corner of the goal.
The Chilean goalkeeper Catalina Alvarado was spared the embarrassing goal after her error almost led to a second goal late in the first half. The chances came and went until the 82nd minute when Bisola Mosaku’s superb finish made it 2-0.
Tali Rovner’s penalty, which was awarded after VAR determined that Omamuzo Edafe handled the ball within the box, gave the South Americans some hope for a late comeback but they ran out of time before they could find another goal.
With the win, Bankole Olowookere’s team finished second in Group B, trailing only Germany, which defeated New Zealand 3-1 in the group’s final match. In the next round, Nigeria’s Flamingos will play either Brazil, the United States, or Morocco.
About the Author
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.
