-Deborah Akinyosoye
An 89th-minute late goal helped Nigeria’s women’s U-17 national team, the Flamingos, beat hosts Dominican Republic early Wednesday in Santo Domingo in the ongoing 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Midfielder Shakirat Moshood collected the ball from 25 yards and launched a powerful left-footed strike at goal which went past the Dominican goalkeeper, marking her fourth in the tournament.
Earlier, 15 minutes into the game, Moshood’s attempt was ruled offside by the Video Assistant Referee, before team captain Taiwo Afolabi struck to force the Dominican goalkeeper to a save.
After half-time, the Flamingos kept piling the pressure on their opponents before Moshood found the net.
The win is the Flamingo’s third consecutive as they emerged Group A leaders, above Ecuador, hosts Dominican and New Zealand. The win in their final group game has helped them amass a total of nine points.
The Flamingos have been in blistering form in the South American nation, winning their first two games, scoring eight goals, and conceding just one.
Coach Bankole Olowokoore’s side began the tournament with an emphatic 4-1 win over New Zealand in the Group A opener at Cibao Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros and followed that up with another impressive 4-0 victory over Ecuador.
Olowokoore had expressed confidence that the girls would make Nigeria proud at the tourney, saying, “I will not change our messages to Nigerians but to thank and appreciate them for their support. They should keep supporting us and having kept these vigils, it will not go in vain. Anytime they are watching us, we will give them joy, and we are going to make them proud. This is a promise that we made to them before we left Nigeria, and we are fulfilling the promise to them for them to be proud of us.”
According to the X handle of the FIFA U-17 WWC, the Nigerian game is the highest-attended football match for any Dominican Republic National Team, which saw a record of 13,535 spectators.
The Flamingos will face their United States counterpart in the quarterfinal bout of the tournament.
