Chijioke Gabriel
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against Canada in their opening match at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Sunday.
Canada set the tone early, with Gabriella Istocki scoring in the 2nd minute to give the Canadians a quick lead. Nigeria responded in the 30th minute through Queen Joseph, who equalized before halftime to make it 1-1.
The second half belonged entirely to Canada. Milisa Kekic restored their lead in the 73rd minute, and Julia Amireh added two late goals in the 80th and 86th minutes, sealing a 4-1 victory for Canada.
Despite the loss, Nigeria will now aim to bounce back in their next group match against France on Wednesday, keeping alive their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages.
Canada, meanwhile, will face Samoa in their next group fixture, with a victory expected to secure their place in the next round.
The Flamingos’ heavy defeat highlights the competitive challenge at the U-17 World Cup, but the team remains determined to recover and prove their resilience in the upcoming matches.