U-17 WWC: Busari warns Venezuela as Flamingos target semi-finals

Akeem Busari

Nigeria U-17 women’s team head coach Akeem Busari has praised his players for their resilience and tactical discipline after the Flamingos defeated Mexico 2-1 to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The Nigerian side produced another impressive performance to eliminate their North American opponents in the Round of 16, following their remarkable 3-1 victory over defending champions DPR Korea in their final group match.

With a place in the last eight at stake, the Flamingos showed composure and determination to overcome a difficult Mexican challenge, with goalkeeper Jane Ijirigho playing a decisive role in preserving their advantage.

Reflecting on the contest after the final whistle, Busari acknowledged the intensity and tactical demands that come with knockout football, particularly at youth level, but insisted that Nigeria had demonstrated they were capable of competing with the best teams in the tournament.

“When you come into this kind of competition, and you get to the knockout stages, it’s more tactical,” Busari said.

“There’s a lot of intensity involved because they’re young and anxiety comes because it’s the knockout stage. Today was a tough game, but we’re no pushovers.”

One of the biggest talking points from Nigeria’s victory was the performance of goalkeeper Ijirigho, who produced a series of important saves to frustrate Mexico and help the Flamingos progress.

Standing at 1.92m, Ijirigho is the tallest player at the tournament, and she put her imposing frame to good use when Mexico captain Citlalli Reyes threatened to open the scoring just six minutes into the encounter.

Reyes, who had already established herself as one of Mexico’s attacking threats with two goals in the group stage, found an opportunity to shoot from inside the penalty area, but Ijirigho reacted quickly to get down and deny her.

The Nigerian goalkeeper was called upon again later in the match, producing an outstanding save to tip Kemberly Garcia’s long-range effort onto the crossbar.

Her interventions proved crucial as Nigeria held on for the victory, prompting another glowing assessment from Busari, who has been impressed with the goalkeeper’s consistency and mentality.

“She has been fantastic in every tournament. She has a great mentality and she really wants to do her bit and she’s enjoying doing her best for Nigeria.”

Defender Azeezat Oduntan was also full of admiration for her teammate, celebrating the goalkeeper’s contribution after the final whistle.

“She was fantastic,” Oduntan said, blowing a kiss towards Ijirigho. “I love her!”

Ijirigho herself was delighted to have played her part in Nigeria’s progression, but was quick to credit the collective effort of the team.

“I was very happy to make the save,” she told FIFA.

“The team did very well, honestly I’m very proud of them. We came out with a great team spirit and we know we have the quality (to match).”

While Ijirigho provided the security Nigeria needed at the back, the Flamingos’ attacking players ensured their pressure eventually translated into goals.

Nigeria’s opening goal arrived in the 40th minute after Esther Stephen’s long delivery caused uncertainty in the Mexican defence. Oluebube Umejiaku capitalised on the opportunity, getting in behind the backline before finishing emphatically to give the Flamingos the lead.

Mary Dunstan subsequently doubled Nigeria’s advantage, putting Busari’s side in a strong position before Emily Delgado pulled one back for Mexico late in the encounter.

Despite the late pressure, Nigeria held on to secure a deserved victory and continue their impressive campaign in Morocco.

Woman of the match, Umejiaku was particularly delighted with the team’s performance, highlighting the togetherness and encouragement within the squad as important ingredients behind their success.

“I’m very proud of my team; we’re very good. I love my team-mates so much and I love my coach as well. We have a very encouraging spirit and our togetherness is very important.”

The victory was another indication of the Flamingos’ growing confidence after their emphatic statement against DPR Korea, with Busari’s players showing they could handle the demands of knockout football against a determined Mexican side.

Nigeria’s attention will now turn to Venezuela, who stand between the Flamingos and a return to the semi-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time since their third-place finish at the 2022 edition in India.

Venezuela booked their quarter-final ticket after defeating Germany, setting up another demanding test for the Nigerian youngsters.

Busari, however, has made it clear that his team will approach the encounter with respect for their opponents but without any sense of inferiority.

The coach believes every team remaining in the competition has a genuine opportunity to challenge for the title and expects the quarter-final to be decided by the performances of both sides on the day.

“What I normally say is that every team in the competition is a contender, everyone could be a champion. Venezuela won their game (against Germany), so are a good side,” he said.

“But Nigeria are too, so on the day it’ll be decided over 90 minutes, and we’ll all give our best.”

Having defeated the defending champions and now overcome Mexico, the Flamingos have strengthened their credentials as serious contenders in Morocco.

For Busari, the challenge is now to maintain that level of performance against Venezuela, as Nigeria continue their pursuit of another semi-final appearance and a memorable finish to their World Cup campaign.