Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, popularly known as the Flamingos, have secured a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco after recording a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Venezuela in their quarter-final encounter on Sunday, November 1.
Captain Azeezat Oduntan emerged as Nigeria’s heroine, scoring the decisive goal from the penalty spot in the 89th minute to send the Nigerian side into the last four of the competition.
The victory marks an important achievement for the Flamingos, who are now just two matches away from potentially claiming their first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup title.
Nigeria Dominate but Struggle to Break the Deadlock
The encounter at the Mohammed VI Football Academy was a closely contested affair, with Nigeria enjoying several attacking opportunities but finding it difficult to penetrate Venezuela’s defence.
The Flamingos started brightly and looked determined to take control of the match. Oluebube Umejiaku, Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, Tosin Rafiu and Mary Dunstan were among the Nigerian players who threatened the Venezuelan goal.
However, Venezuela goalkeeper and captain Valeria Rebanales produced an impressive performance, making important saves to keep her team in contention.
Despite Nigeria’s attacking pressure, neither side managed to score in the first half, and the teams went into the break with the scoreline at 0–0.
Oduntan Delivers the Winning Goal
Nigeria continued their search for a breakthrough after the restart, with head coach Akeem Busari making changes to strengthen the team’s attacking options.
The decisive moment arrived towards the end of the match when Oluebube Umejiaku was brought down inside the penalty area, earning Nigeria a penalty.
Following a VAR review, the referee upheld the penalty decision.
Captain Azeezat Oduntan stepped forward and calmly converted from the spot in the 89th minute, giving Nigeria a crucial 1–0 lead.
The late goal sparked celebrations among the Nigerian players, technical crew and supporters as the Flamingos moved closer to securing their semi-final qualification.
Venezuela attempted to find an equaliser during the closing stages, but Nigeria remained organised defensively and successfully protected their advantage until the final whistle.
Nigeria Set Up Semi-Final Clash with Brazil
The victory sends Nigeria into the semi-finals, where they will face Brazil on Wednesday, November 4.
Brazil booked their place in the last four after coming from behind to defeat China 2–1 in their quarter-final encounter.
The upcoming meeting promises to be another challenging test for the Flamingos as they seek to continue their impressive run in Morocco.
Nigeria previously finished third at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India. Their current campaign presents another opportunity for the country to make history at the global youth football competition.
With captain Azeezat Oduntan leading the way and the team demonstrating determination throughout the knockout stages, the Flamingos will be hoping to carry their momentum into Wednesday’s semi-final.
For Nigeria, the dream of reaching the World Cup final remains alive.
Match Summary
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026 |
| Stage | Quarter-final |
| Date | November 1, 2026 |
| Venue | Mohammed VI Football Academy, Morocco |
| Nigeria | 1 |
| Venezuela | 0 |
| Goalscorer | Azeezat Oduntan (89′ penalty) |
| Penalty won by | Oluebube Umejiaku |
| Nigeria’s next opponent | Brazil |
| Semi-final date | November 4, 2026 |
