Nigeria’s U-17 ladies’s nationwide staff, the Flamingos, rounded off their pre-World Cup preparations in fashion with a hard-fought 3–2 victory over Paraguay in Casablanca on Tuesday night.
It was a match stuffed with tempo, precision, and loads of classes as Coach Bankole Olowookere’s ladies sealed their twelfth warm-up sport, extending their scoring tally to a formidable 50 objectives whereas conceding simply six.
The Flamingos wasted no time asserting their intent, taking the lead contained in the opening two minutes. Goalkeeper Elizabeth Boniface launched a pinpoint lengthy ball that discovered captain Shakirat Moshood, who cleverly laid it off for Mariam Yahaya.
The ahead made no mistake, chipping the onrushing Paraguayan goalkeeper to present Nigeria an early benefit.
Eight minutes later, Shakirat had an opportunity to double the lead, however her effort flew simply over the bar. Paraguay discovered a lifeline within the fifteenth minute after a defensive error from Christiana Sunday gifted them an equaliser in opposition to the run of play. The South People grew in confidence, forcing Boniface into two effective saves because the Flamingos briefly misplaced their rhythm.
Nevertheless, the Nigerians rapidly regained management, and simply earlier than halftime, they had been again in entrance. A defensive mix-up on the again allowed Yahaya to pounce for her brace within the forty fourth minute earlier than finishing a sensational first-half hat-trick a minute later, because of a pleasant move from Kaosarat Olanrewaju.
The second half noticed the Flamingos preserve their attacking momentum, with Ayomide Abubakar and Shakirat Moshood each coming near including to the tally.
Substitute goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu made an important save within the 69th minute to protect Nigeria’s two-goal cushion as Paraguay looked for a route again into the sport.
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Within the ultimate moments, one other defensive lapse allowed Paraguay to tug one again, but it surely was too late to disclaim Nigeria a deserved 3–2 win.
With their Morocco coaching camp now concluded, the Flamingos will head to Rabat on Wednesday morning to settle into their FIFA lodging forward of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Girls’s World Cup, which kicks off on 17 October.
Drawn in Group D, Nigeria will open their marketing campaign in opposition to Canada on Sunday, 19 October, then face France three days later, earlier than wrapping up the group stage in opposition to Samoa on 25 October.
