Nigeria’s Flamingos head coach Akeem Busari has declared that his team will not be intimidated by any opponent at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco following their hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mexico in Thursday’s Round of 16 encounter.
Sports247 reports that the Nigerian youngsters secured qualification for the quarter-finals after surviving a late Mexican fightback, with Busari praising his players’ determination while acknowledging the psychological and tactical challenges associated with knockout football.
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Speaking to FIFA after the encounter, Busari explained that matches become increasingly demanding as teams progress into the elimination rounds.
“When you come into this kind of competition, and you get to the knockout stages, it’s more tactical and there’s a lot of intensity involved because they’re young and anxiety comes because it’s the knockout stage,” Busari said.
“Today was a tough game, but we’re no pushovers,” he added.
His comments underline the confidence within the Nigerian camp as the Flamingos prepare for another demanding assignment in the quarter-finals. Nigeria took the lead through Oluebube Umejiaku in the 39th minute, giving the Flamingos a crucial advantage before the interval.
Mary Dunstan doubled Nigeria’s lead in the 70th minute, putting the West African side in a commanding position.
However, Mexico refused to surrender and reduced the deficit through Emily Delgado in the tenth minute of second-half stoppage time. Despite the late scare, Nigeria maintained their composure to secure a 2-1 victory and advance to the last eight.
The victory followed Nigeria’s impressive 3-1 triumph over defending champions DPR Korea in their final group-stage encounter. That result provided a significant confidence boost and demonstrated the Flamingos’ ability to compete against formidable opposition.
Nigeria will now face Venezuela, who eliminated Germany to secure their quarter-final ticket. With a semi-final place at stake, Busari’s side must maintain their attacking efficiency while remaining disciplined defensively.
For the Flamingos, the message from their head coach is unmistakable: Nigeria are ready to compete, determined to progress and unwilling to be underestimated on the world stage.
