Nigeria’s cadet female national team, Flamingos’ coach, Akeem Busari has given a strong assurance that his players will be at their very best on Sunday, in order to defeat Venezuela at the FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup in Morocco.
Sports247 reports that, while also promising to be at his best, in order to tutor the squad to win the quarter-finals tie, Busari acknowledged that they cannot afford to underrate the team that sent Germany packing.
The former head coach at DUFA Football Academy of Lagos and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan also praised his team’s performance against Mexico, as the Flamingos were in control before getting a 40th minute goal by Oluebube Umejiaku.
The Nigerians doubled their lead through Mary Dunstan and, despite a tough fightback by Mexico, which led to Emily Delgado scoring in ten minutes of added time, Busari said he was delighted seeing how his players held on for another win.
It came after their epic 3-1 spanking of back-to-back defending champions, Korea DPR, much to the delight of Busari, who now feels rest assured that his squad is good enough to defeat Venezuela on Sunday, though he is quick to admit that the South Americans are equally dangerous.
“When you come into this kind of competition, and you get to the knockout stages, it’s more tactical. There’s a lot of intensity involved, because they’re young. Anxiety comes, because it’s the knockout stage, but we’re no pushovers.
“What I normally say is that every team in the competition is a contender; everyone could be a champion. Venezuela won their match (against Germany) and they are a good side, but Nigeria are good too.
“So, on the day it’ll be decided over 90 minutes, and we’ll all give our best. It’s the knockout stage, but we’re no pushovers,” the history-chasing and soft-spoken Busari reiterated.
Sports247 reports further that the Flamingos are still on course to replicate Nigeria’s best run so far in this competition’s history, which came with a bronze medal finish at the 2022 edition in India.
