Nigeria’s Flamingos sealed a place in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup by defeating two-time reigning champions North Korea 3-1 in their decisive final Group B fixture on Friday.
Flamingos finish second in Group B
The Nigerian side ended the group phase in second position with six points from three games. North Korea still topped the section overall, while Poland claimed third place after a 6-2 victory over Puerto Rico and also progressed to the knockout stage.
- North Korea finished as Group B winners.
- Nigeria took second place with six points from three matches.
- Poland advanced in third after beating Puerto Rico 6-2.
Nigeria will face the second-placed side from Group F on Thursday. That group remains unsettled, with Mexico, Chile and Australia all in contention to finish as runners-up.
Clinical Nigeria stun the champions
The Flamingos combined disciplined defending with ruthless finishing to overcome the defending champions.
Kemi Adegbuyi gave Nigeria the advantage in the 15th minute, producing an impressive individual run before scoring.
Oluebube Umejiaku doubled the lead seven minutes before half-time. She raced on to a through pass and struck beyond the advancing North Korean goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
Kanyisola Yusuf extended Nigeria’s lead in the 56th minute, putting the Flamingos three goals ahead.
Late penalty and disallowed goal
North Korea did not score until the 82nd minute. A Nigerian defender was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area, allowing the Asian side to convert from the spot.
Adegbuyi appeared to have added a second goal of the match in the 88th minute, but VAR intervened. The effort was ruled out after a Nigerian infringement was identified in the build-up.
