By Harry Awurumibe
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, are set to fly over their North Korean (Korea DPR) opponents in their final Group B match of the on-going 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco billed for Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat on Friday.
North Korea leads the group with dominant wins including 6-0 against Puerto Rico and 6-1 against Poland while Nigeria sits in contention after losing 2-1 to Poland and bouncing back with a 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico.
By the results garnered by the four teams over two matches, Nigeria will need a draw with North Korea or keep it tight at the back to avoid conceding more goals than Puerto Rico and Poland conceded to the Koreans when they met because both Nigeria and Poland are not sure of finishing second till the final whistle.
This is even as Poland with three points like Nigeria will meet a weak Puerto Rico side while Nigeria confronts a much stronger North Korea in the last group match which will hold simultaneously at Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat on Friday.
For this reason, the Flamingos have to play the match of their lives by going toe to toe with the free-scoring Koreans who may not play their first 11 against Nigeria after booking their Round of 16 ticket ahead of Friday’s clash.
The Flamingos bounced back from their opening-day defeat to Poland last week with a crucial win over tournament debutants, Puerto Rico in Rabat on Tuesday night.
Fast-paced attacker Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, who was named Player of the Match, opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 25th minute when she met the ball in the opponent’s box,
giving the Nigeria an early advantage.
Despite Puerto Rico’s determined performance especially in the second half of the tight game, the Flamingos held firm before substitute Precious Oscar sealed the victory with a second goal deep into the 6th minute stoppage time.
The victory catapulted Nigeria to the second place in Group B, with the Flamingos needing at least a draw against defending champions DPR Korea in their final group fixture to secure qualification for the Round of 16.
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