October 20, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, made a stunning victory at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic on Saturday night, defeating Ecuador 4-0 in their second Group A match at Estadio Cibao, Santiago de Los Caballeros.
The ruthless victory, engineered by Coach Bankole Olowookere’s tactical brilliance, propelled the Flamingos into the quarter-finals, making them the first team to achieve this feat in the tournament.
With six points from two matches, Nigeria’s dominance was evident throughout the encounter.
Shakirat Moshood opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 28th minute and sealed the match with a goal six minutes into added time, completing her brace.
Harmony Chidi doubled the lead in the 54th minute, while Peace Effiong added the third goal.
The Nigerians asserted their control, keeping Ecuador constantly on the defensive.
The Flamingos’ attacking prowess was evident in their 31 shots, with 13 on target, indicating they could have easily doubled the score.
Nigeria is now poised to secure a straightforward victory in their final group game against the Dominican Republic on Wednesday at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, Santo Domingo.
This impressive performance follows the Flamingos’ remarkable history in the competition. Since its inception in 2008, Nigeria has participated in every edition, reaching the quarter-finals in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
Notably, they broke their quarter-final jinx in the 2022 edition, defeating the USA to advance to their first-ever semi-finals.
With their sights set on surpassing their previous achievements, the Flamingos’ convincing win over Ecuador demonstrates their determination to make a lasting impact at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
