Nigeria’s Flamingos continue to show their mettle on the global stage, proving their third-place finish at the previous FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup was no coincidence as they delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over Ecuador, on Saturday, securing a spot in the quarter-finals of the ongoing tournament.
Coach Bankole Olowookere’s team displayed sheer dominance, outplaying their South American opponents from whistle to whistle.
With this result, the Flamingos became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals, having collected six points from two matches.
Their campaign began with a 4-1 triumph over New Zealand, which, combined with Saturday’s clean sheet, leaves them with eight goals scored and just one conceded.
Their advancement is already confirmed, regardless of the outcome of their final group-stage clash against hosts Dominican Republic, which is set for Tuesday night.
Shakirat Moshood, the lively midfielder who set the pace with one of the tournament’s quickest goals—an 80-second opener against New Zealand—continued her fine form.
In the 26th minute, she calmly converted a penalty, sending Ecuador’s busy goalkeeper Maria Rodriguez the wrong way after Taiwo Afolabi was fouled inside the box.
Earlier, Peace Effiong, Nigeria’s pacy forward, saw two promising shots denied by Rodriguez, first in the 18th minute and again just before the half-hour mark.
The Flamingos, undeterred, kept the pressure on. Harmony Chidi, who netted 13 goals in the qualifying rounds, rattled the crossbar with a powerful strike as halftime approached.
The second half saw Nigeria’s persistence rewarded. In the 54th minute, Chidi finally broke through, scoring her first goal of the tournament after a well-placed pass from Aishat Animashaun.
Not long after, Effiong seized her chance, capitalizing on a poor clearance from Ecuador’s substitute goalkeeper Pozo to notch her first goal of the competition.
In stoppage time, Nigeria put the finishing touches on a comprehensive victory. Moshood doubled her tally with a perfectly placed strike following a neat setup from Chidi on the right flank.
As the Flamingos prepare to face the Dominican Republic at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo, they will be aiming for a straightforward win to solidify their group-stage dominance.
Having finished third in the last edition of the tournament in India, Nigeria has been a constant presence in every FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup since the competition’s inception in 2008.
They reached the quarter-finals in 2010, 2012, and 2014 before breaking that barrier in 2022, when they overcame the USA to reach their first-ever semi-finals.
With such a promising start to this year’s competition, the Flamingos are once again poised to make history.
