The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has publicly commended Nigeria’s under-17 women's national team, the Flamingos, following their qualification for the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The West African side advanced to the final four after securing a narrow 1-0 win against Venezuela in their quarter-final encounter held on Sunday at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Salé, Morocco.
How did Nigeria secure the semifinal ticket?
The decisive moment of the match arrived in the 89th minute when captain Azeezat Oduntan successfully converted a penalty kick. The spot-kick was awarded after the tournament's leading goalscorer, Oluebube Umejiaku, was fouled inside the 18-yard box, a ruling that was subsequently confirmed following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Oduntan maintained her composure under intense pressure to slot the ball home, propelling Nigeria into the penultimate stage and equalling the nation's previous historic semifinal finish and bronze-medal achievement recorded in 2022.
Following the final whistle, CAF Women’s Football took to its official social media channel to praise the team, writing: "The Flamingos are flying into the semis! Nigeria edge Venezuela to reach the U17WWC semi-finals!"
What lies ahead for the Flamingos?
With this triumph, Nigeria stands as the sole surviving African contender in the global competition, as Ghana exited following a 1-0 loss to Japan in another quarter-final fixture. The Flamingos are now scheduled to face Brazil on Wednesday, November 4, at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, with a place in the championship match at stake. The South American squad booked their semifinal berth by overcoming an early deficit to defeat China 2-1.
Nigeria's journey in the tournament has displayed notable resilience. After suffering a 2-1 defeat to Poland in their opening group fixture, the team mounted an impressive recovery by securing four successive victories: a 2-0 win against Puerto Rico, a 3-1 triumph over reigning champions North Korea, a 2-1 victory against Mexico, and Sunday's tense win over Venezuela.