Flamingos of Nigeria have received praise from head coach Akeem Busari and winger Awawu Bashiru after reaching the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time in the country’s history.
The Nigerian side secured their historic qualification with a 3-1 win over Brazil in their semi-final clash at the Mohammed VI Football Complex Pitch 3 in Rabat on Wednesday night, November 4, becoming the first African nation to reach the tournament’s final.
The Flamingos recovered from a 2-1 defeat to Poland in their opening group match to reach the final. They also became only the second team since 2014 to achieve the feat after losing their first group game.
Queen Joseph opened the scoring after the break before Bashiru struck twice to seal Nigeria’s victory. Greise Kelly scored a late consolation goal for Brazil.
Speaking after the match, Busari described the achievement as a major milestone for Nigerian and African football.
“It’s an awesome thing, it’s a great achievement. Reaching the final is a plus for our country, it’s a plus for our football. We are happy, the girls are happy,” he told FIFA.
The coach also praised his players for their discipline and determination against a technically gifted Brazilian side, explaining that Nigeria focused on disrupting their opponents’ passing patterns.
“It was a key contest and it wasn’t an easy one. Brazil really showed the stuff they have technically, but we tried to really block the view of their passing line, so we had to show character,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bashiru expressed her delight after scoring twice on her first start of the tournament. The winger had played just 73 minutes before the semi-final and earned the Player of the Match award for her performance.
“Today was my first start, so I’m so happy, I’m so excited,” she said.
Brazil head coach Rilany Silva attributed her team’s defeat to technical errors, particularly misplaced passes, which allowed Nigeria to exploit their physical advantage.
Brazil will face North Korea in Saturday’s third-place play-off, while Nigeria take on Japan in the final as the Flamingos seek their first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup title.
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