Flamingos bow out of U17 Women’s World Cup after defeat to USA

Nigeria’s U17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, were eliminated from the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup after a 2-0 loss to the United States of America (USA) in the quarterfinals at Santiago de los Caballeros.

Coach Bankole Olowookere’s team, which had showcased a stellar performance in the group stages, struggled to contain a relentless USA side that took advantage of defensive errors to secure the victory.

The Flamingos had previously enjoyed a flawless group run, clinching all nine points by defeating hosts Dominican Republic, New Zealand, and Ecuador. Nigeria was among only three teams to secure a perfect record in the group stage, alongside Spain and Korea DPR.

However, the quarterfinal encounter against the USA—a team chasing its first title in the tournament’s history—proved challenging. Despite Nigeria’s valiant efforts, they were unable to overcome their American counterparts.

With the victory, Team USA advanced to the semifinals for only the second time in the tournament’s history and the first time since the inaugural event in 2008.

They will face reigning Asian champions Korea DPR, winners of the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2008 and 2016, in the first semifinal on Wednesday, October 30, at Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago de los Caballeros.