It was one other night time of heartbreak for Nigeria’s U-17 girls’s staff, because the Flamingos fell 1–0 to France of their second Group D fixture on the 2025 FIFA U-17 Ladies’s World Cup in Morocco.
For lengthy spells, it was a match outlined by grit and defiance, till Maïssa Fathallah’s late strike within the 81st minute broke Nigerian hearts and handed the 2012 champions a hard-fought victory on the Marrakech Stadium in Morocco.
With the end result, France booked their spot within the knockout spherical, whereas Nigeria’s survival hopes now grasp by a thread, depending on a heavy win over Samoa of their remaining group sport.
Listed here are the key takeaways from a tense night time in Marrakech.
Bankole Olowookere’s loyalty is examined by a repeat lineup
After the 4–1 opening-day defeat to Canada, Coach Bankole Olowookere resisted requires adjustments, as an alternative exhibiting religion in the identical beginning XI that had collapsed late of their first outing.
It was a daring assertion; one which mirrored his perception within the group’s potential quite than panic. However whereas the Flamingos did produce a extra organised efficiency, the choice to stay with an unchanged lineup additionally uncovered the staff’s recurring weaknesses: defensive lapses, fatigue in transitions, and an occasional lack of innovative within the remaining third.
The end result underlined the tremendous stability between belief and tactical flexibility, a line the Nigerian gaffer should now stroll fastidiously as his staff faces a do-or-die conflict towards Samoa.
Boniface’s late howler proves pricey once more
For a lot of the sport, goalkeeper Elizabeth Boniface had regarded composed, commanding her field, organising her defenders, and reacting sharply to France’s set-piece threats.
However within the 81st minute, all of that good work got here undone.
A low drive from Maïssa Fathallah, seemingly routine, slipped below Boniface’s gloves and trickled into the online.
It was the form of second that defines tournaments: one lapse of focus, one contact too gentle, and a sport of stability abruptly tilts past attain.
It was merciless, nevertheless it summed up Nigeria’s story at this World Cup up to now: courageous, spirited, however undone by small margins.
VAR drama, however the referee will get the large calls proper
The match noticed three separate VAR critiques within the second half, reflecting the depth and controversy surrounding the competition.
The primary got here when Raji went in sturdy on a French midfielder. France appealed for a crimson card, however after a assessment, the referee rightly dominated it a yellow-card offence.
Within the remaining ten minutes, Nigeria twice appealed for penalties, the primary for a handball and the second for a late problem contained in the field. Each instances, the referee stood agency after consulting VAR, denying the Flamingos what may have been a dramatic lifeline.
Whereas the choices have been disappointing from a Nigerian perspective, they have been finally honest; proof that expertise, at the very least on this night time, served the sport properly.
Shuaib’s lengthy throws — Nigeria’s secret weapon
One among Nigeria’s brightest sparks got here from an unlikely supply.
Full-back Shuaib turned her throw-ins into artillery, repeatedly hurling the ball deep into the French penalty space, unsettling defenders and creating chaos.
For stretches of the sport, her deliveries have been Nigeria’s most dependable route into harmful zones, and France struggled to take care of the trajectory and energy of her throws.
Sadly, the Flamingos couldn’t capitalise on the second balls or rebounds that adopted, usually missing numbers or composure contained in the field. Nonetheless, it was a tactical notice that confirmed Nigeria’s creativity below stress.
If Olowookere’s staff are to beat Samoa and stand any likelihood of advancing, Shuaib’s throws may as soon as once more be an important weapon.
France march on, Nigeria cling to hope
For France, the night time was knowledgeable job properly accomplished.
They managed the sport’s tempo, absorbed Nigeria’s physicality, and confirmed the composure of a aspect with match pedigree.
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Their win sealed qualification to the knockout rounds with six factors from two video games, sustaining their status as considered one of Europe’s elite youth groups.
For Nigeria, nevertheless, the image is way extra precarious. The Flamingos sit on the backside of Group D with zero factors, however all shouldn’t be misplaced. A commanding win over Samoa of their remaining group match may but see them sneak by way of as top-of-the-line third-placed groups, relying on different outcomes.
Grit with out glory
The Flamingos walked off the pitch with heads bowed, understanding they’d gone toe-to-toe with one of many world’s greatest however had nothing to indicate for it.
There was enchancment from the Canada loss; higher construction, extra chunk, larger resilience, but, ultimately, the end result remained the identical: a slim defeat, sealed by a single mistake.
If Nigeria are to maintain their 2025 FIFA U-17 Ladies’s World Cup dream alive, they need to discover a technique to flip their braveness into precision, and their effort into targets.
As a result of the guts alone is rarely sufficient at this stage, it have to be matched by management, composure, and a killer intuition in entrance of the objective.
Subsequent cease: Maul Samoa, or get a return ticket dwelling!
