It was a grim Sunday for Nigerian football as the country suffered two major defeats within hours.

Barely after Remo Stars were thrashed 5-1 by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League, the national U17 women’s team, the Flamingos, fell 4-1 to Canada in their opening match of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The Group D encounter, played at the Football Academy Mohammed VI (Pitch 2) in Salé, near Rabat, saw the Canadians dominate proceedings, particularly in the second half.

Canada took the lead as early as the second minute when Molly Hale made a strong run down the left flank before Gabriela Istocki finished off her cross to put the North Americans ahead.

The Flamingos, however, responded well. They took control of the midfield, with captain Shakirat Moshood testing goalkeeper Khadijah Cisse with a long-range drive in the 9th minute and firing another effort just over the bar four minutes later.

Nigeria’s persistence paid off on the half hour mark when Cisse failed to hold on to a shot from Kaosarat Olanrewaju, allowing Queen Joseph to bundle in the rebound for the equalizer.

After the break, the Flamingos started brightly, with Chisom Nwachukwu troubling the Canadian defence, but their momentum waned as the match wore on. In the 73rd minute, substitute Melisa Kekic restored Canada’s lead with a composed finish past Elizabeth Boniface.

Goalkeeper Boniface’s error in the 80th minute allowed another substitute, Julia Amireh, to make it 3-1 before Amireh struck again six minutes later, outpacing the Nigerian defence to slot in Canada’s fourth goal.

The result leaves Nigeria bottom of Group D after the first round of matches. The Flamingos will hope to revive their campaign when they face France on Wednesday evening.

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Barely days after the Super Eagles crushed Benin Republic’s hopes of a maiden FIFA World Cup appearance, Nigeria’s senior women’s team, the Super Falcons, are set to deliver another blow to their West African neighbours — this time in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers.

Both teams will face off in a two-legged final qualifying fixture for the tournament, which will be hosted by Morocco and also serve as Africa’s qualification route to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Nigeria, the 10-time African champions, enter the clash as overwhelming favourites. The first leg will be played at the Stade Kégué in Lomé, Togo, as Benin Republic currently lacks a CAF-approved home venue. The decisive return leg will take place at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

Head coach Justine Madugu has named a 21-player squad for the encounter, comprising three goalkeepers, seven defenders, five midfielders, and six forwards.

The squad includes some of Nigeria’s biggest stars: captain Rasheedat Ajibade, recently crowned Player of the Tournament at the last WAFCON in Morocco and a scorer for her club Paris Saint-Germain in Thursday’s UEFA Women’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid; two-time African Goalkeeper of the Year Chiamaka Nnadozie; defenders Michelle Alozie and Ashleigh Plumptre; midfielders Jennifer Echegini and Deborah Abiodun; and forwards Asisat Oshoala, Chinwendu Ihezuo, and Folashade Ijamilusi.

Also returning to the fold are Osinachi Ohale, the experienced Mexico-based defender; Christy Ucheibe, the tough-tackling midfielder; and Esther Okoronkwo, one of Nigeria’s emerging attacking options.

With Nigeria’s rich history and depth in women’s football, the Super Falcons will be looking to assert their dominance once again — and deny Benin Republic a first-ever WAFCON appearance, just as their male counterparts did in the World Cup race.

SUPER FALCONS FOR WAFCON QUALIFYING FIXTURE VS BÉNIN:

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton Hove & Albion, England); Anderline Mgbechi (Rivers Angels); Rachael Unachukwu (Nasarawa Amazons)

Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Shukurat Oladipo (AS Roma, Italy); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies FC, Saudi Arabia); Blessing Ilivieda (Bayelsa Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray Sportive, Turkey); Miracle Usani (Abia Angels)

Midfielders: Rasheedat Ajibade (Paris Saint Germain, France); Taiwo Afolabi (Rivers Angels); Deborah Abiodun (Washington Spirit, USA); Jennifer Echegini (Paris Saint Germain, France); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal)

Forwards: Chinwendu Ihezuo (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Joy Omewa (Fortuna Hjorrin FC, Denmark); Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto, Canada); Asisat Oshoala (Al Hilal FC, Saudi Arabia); Folashade Ijamilusi (Liaoning Shenyang Shenbei Hefeng, China); Kafayat Mafisere (Edo Queens)

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Nigeria’s U17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will begin their quest for glory at the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup on Sunday when they face Canada at Pitch 2 of the Football Academy Mohammed VI in Salé.

The match rekindles a rivalry that dates back 13 years — their only previous encounter at this level ended in a 1–1 draw. This time, however, both sides enter the contest more experienced and determined, with Nigeria eager to underline their evolution under head coach Bankole Olowookere.

The Flamingos arrived in Rabat brimming with confidence after an intense preparation phase that included several high-tempo friendly matches. The team impressed with double-digit victories, fluid attacking play, and relentless pressing — hallmarks of Olowookere’s high-energy, high-pressing football philosophy.

Their warm-up fixtures showcased resilience and tactical maturity, highlighted by a 3–2 victory over Paraguay following a narrow loss to New Zealand, results that have bolstered the squad’s belief ahead of their World Cup opener.

Sunday’s encounter is expected to be a tactical battle. The Canadians, known for their discipline, physicality, and defensive compactness, will provide a stern test of Nigeria’s attacking rhythm and composure under pressure.

Nigeria’s aspirations go beyond surviving the group stage. After a historic third-place finish in India in 2022 and a quarterfinal appearance at the last edition in the Dominican Republic, the Flamingos are determined to take another leap forward.

A strong start against Canada would not only boost confidence but also send a clear message of intent to the rest of Group D, which includes France and Samoa.

Kickoff in Salé promises to be the beginning of another exciting chapter in the Flamingos’ journey to cement their place among the world’s elite in women’s youth football.

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