Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Venezuela on Sunday night at the Stade Boubker Amath to advance to the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The high-stakes quarter-final clash kicked off at 7:00 PM. on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Nigeria controlled the tempo throughout the opening half but faced relentless resistance from Venezuelan goalkeeper Valeria Rebanales, who produced several key saves to keep the match deadlocked. The physical intensity escalated after the break, prompting refereeing cautions and tactical adjustments from Nigerian Head Coach Hakeem Busari as the Flamingos pressed for a decisive break.
The defining moment arrived in the 89th minute when forward Oluebube Umejiaku was brought down inside the penalty area. Following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) pitchside review, the referee awarded the penalty kick. Azeezatt Oduntan stepped up under immense pressure and calmly converted the spot-kick to seal Nigeria’s victory.
Reflecting on the team’s trajectory, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), praised the squad’s resilience in rebounding from an earlier group-stage setback to reach the final four.
Following the final whistle, Coach Busari commended his players for maintaining their composure and tactical discipline during the tense closing minutes. With the victory, the Flamingos advance to the semi-finals, where they will face Brazil following the South American side’s 2-1 victory over China.
