Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, suffered a 4–1 defeat to Canada in their opening match of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Salé, Morocco.
It was a difficult outing for the Nigerian girls, who started brightly but faded in the second half as Canada ran away with the points. SportPremi reports.
What Happened in the First Half
Canada made a fast start, finding the back of the net just two minutes into the match through Gabriela Istocki, who calmly finished from close range after a quick attacking move.
The Flamingos pressed forward and created several chances through Queen Joseph and Olamide Olanrewaju. Their efforts paid off around the half-hour mark when Queen Joseph equalised.
Nigeria ended the half as the more dominant side, recording more shots and ball possession, but couldn’t make their pressure count as the first half finished 1–1.
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What Happened in the Second Half
The second was a totally different game as the Canucks grew stronger and began controlling the midfield. Nigeria’s defence lost shape under pressure, allowing Canada to find more spaces.
Melisa Kekic restored Canada’s lead in the 73rd minute with a composed finish, and substitute Julia Amireh sealed the victory with two quick goals in the 80th and 86th minutes of the game.
Nigeria struggled to recover and failed to match Canada’s intensity in the final moments of the game.
Group D U17 Standings
| TEAM | MP | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| Canada U17 W | 1 | 3 |
| France U17 W | 1 | 3 |
| Samoa U17 W | 1 | 0 |
| Nigeria U17 W | 1 | 0 |
With this result, Canada top Group D on goal difference ahead of France, while Nigeria and Samoa occupy the bottom spots. It was also Canada’s first-ever victory over Nigeria at U-17 level, following a draw in their previous meeting.
What’s Next for Nigeria and Canada
Nigeria will face France next on Wednesday, October 22, in what is now a must-win fixture for their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.
Coach Bankole Olowookere is expected to make tactical changes to strengthen the defence and improve finishing. Canada, meanwhile, will look to secure back-to-back wins when they take on Samoa later this week.
Despite the heavy loss, the Flamingos’ first-half display showed glimpses of promise. They will need to maintain that same energy and improve their composure in front of goal if they hope to turn things around in their remaining group games.
