Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, have made a powerful statement at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. On Saturday night, they thrashed Ecuador 4-0 in their second Group A match at Estadio Cibao, Santiago de Los Caballeros.
Under the guidance of head coach Bankole Olowookere, the Flamingos dominated the match from start to finish. Shakirat Moshood opened the scoring with a penalty in the 28th minute after captain Taiwo Afolabi was fouled in the box. Moshood later scored her second goal in the sixth minute of added time, rounding off the match with a brace.
Harmony Chidi and Peace Effiong also found the net, with Chidi scoring in the 54th minute and Effiong adding the third goal after capitalizing on a defensive mistake by the Ecuadorian team.
The Nigerian team was relentless, taking 31 shots with 13 on target, and could have easily doubled the score. This victory has propelled the Flamingos to the quarter-finals, making them the first team to achieve this milestone in the tournament.
The Flamingos had previously defeated New Zealand 4-1 in their tournament opener and are now set to face the host nation, the Dominican Republic, in their final group game on Wednesday.
This performance continues the team’s impressive form, following their third-place finish in the last edition of the tournament in India and their historic semi-final appearance in the 2022 edition.
