Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, defeated defending champions DPR Korea 3–1 in their final Group B match to secure a place in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. The Flamingos scored twice in the first half before adding a third…...
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, defeated defending champions DPR Korea 3–1 in their final Group B match to secure a place in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The Flamingos scored twice in the first half before adding a third after the break, while DPR Korea managed a late penalty as Nigeria claimed all three points at Pitch 1 of the Mohammed VI Football Complex.
Head coach Akeem Busari made one change to the team that beat Puerto Rico 2–0, with Oluebube Umejiaku handed a starting role as captain Harmony Chidi began on the bench.
Oluwakemi Adegbuyi gave Nigeria the lead in the 15th minute after receiving a pass from Mary Dunstan. She held off her marker before calmly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Kim Son Gyong to score her second goal of the tournament.
Read Also: JUST IN: Flamingos Win Maiden WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup
Nigeria doubled their advantage in the 38th minute when Tosin Rafiu picked out Umejiaku with a precise pass. The forward maintained her composure before firing past Kim to make it 2–0.
Read Also
The Flamingos went into half-time with a two-goal cushion and extended their lead in the 56th minute through Kanyinsola Yusuf, who curled a superb free-kick into the net to put Nigeria 3–0 ahead and register her second goal of the competition.
DPR Korea reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute after Yu Jong Hyang converted a penalty.
Adegbuyi later appeared to have scored her second goal of the match, but the effort was disallowed following a video review. Although the goal was initially ruled out for offside, the referee ultimately ruled against it because of a foul in the build-up.
Busari made his first substitution in the 65th minute, bringing on Awawu Bashiru for Dunstan, before introducing Precious Oscar for Queen Joseph in the 84th minute as Nigeria protected their lead.
The victory took the Flamingos to six points at the end of the group stage and confirmed their progression to the knockout stage.
The defeat also ended DPR Korea’s unbeaten run in regular time at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, a streak that had lasted since their 4–1 loss to Germany on November 14, 2018.