Nigeria’s Flamingos responded to their opening defeat against Poland by beating Puerto Rico 2-0 in their second Group B fixture at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, earning their first points of the competition.
Busari pleased with response
Head coach Akeem Busari commended his players for recovering from the setback in their first match and delivering a crucial victory over Puerto Rico.
- Busari said the encounter was always likely to be decisive for both teams and warned beforehand that it would be a demanding contest.
- He admitted that the Flamingos failed to take several first-half opportunities, with a number of missed chances preventing them from establishing an early lead.
- Despite the eventual two-goal margin, he stressed that Puerto Rico made the match difficult and were far from easy opponents.
- Nigeria found the breakthrough after the interval, with Kemi Adebuye and Precious Oscar each registering her maiden goal at a World Cup.
- Busari said his side played with greater composure than it had shown in the loss to Poland, although the players were still feeling the effects of that earlier disappointment.
- Following the Poland match, he gathered the squad together to speak with them and restore their confidence.
The coach described the team as one still developing and said he expects the Flamingos to keep improving as the tournament progresses.
Goalscorers welcome vital points
Adebuye, who scored Nigeria’s first goal, said the result brought clear relief within the camp.
“It was not an easy match for us, but we gave everything we could,” Adebuye said. “We are ready to continue, and we managed to get the three points.”
She said scoring on the biggest stage of her young career made her “very, very happy”, adding that it was only the start. Adebuye also promised to make both her family and Nigeria proud.
Oscar, whose goal sealed the win, thanked God for the outcome and described the result as a major release of pressure after the defeat in the opening fixture.
“Before I went onto the field, I prayed to God to help me handle the pressure for my team,” Oscar said. “To God be the glory, I am happy we achieved it. It is my first World Cup goal and I am so happy about it.”
Nigeria entered the Puerto Rico match needing a positive result, and Oscar said she made a point of encouraging the team after coming on.
“When I came into the game, I had to tell my teammates that it was not finished and that anything could still happen,” she said. “So we continued to push, even with all the pressure.”
Oscar said the group is now focused on winning again, believing the three points will give her and her teammates greater confidence to perform better in their next outing.
The Flamingos will conclude their group-stage campaign against North Korea, with Oscar insisting she will be prepared to contribute whenever she is needed.
