Nigeria's Flamingos Clinch Last-Minute Victory Over Dominican Republic at FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
In a thrilling finish early Wednesday morning in Santo Domingo, Nigeria’s women’s U-17 national team, the Flamingos, secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over hosts Dominican Republic thanks to an 89th-minute goal in the ongoing 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Midfielder Shakirat Moshood found the net with a stunning left-footed strike from 25 yards, outpacing the Dominican goalkeeper and marking her fourth goal of the tournament. This late effort came after an earlier attempt by Moshood was ruled offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and a deflected shot from team captain Taiwo Afolabi that forced a save from the Dominican keeper.
After a hard-fought first half, the Flamingos continued to press their opponents after the break, ultimately leading to Moshood's match-winning goal.
With this victory, the Flamingos notched their third consecutive win, finishing atop Group A with nine points, ahead of Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and New Zealand. Their performance in the tournament has been impressive, scoring a total of eight goals while conceding just one.
Coach Bankole Olowokoore praised his team's efforts, noting that they began the tournament on a high, securing a 4-1 win against New Zealand in their opener followed by a decisive 4-0 victory over Ecuador. Olowokoore expressed his gratitude for the support from fans back home, promising to continue delivering joy to Nigerians. “I will not change our messages to Nigerians but to thank and appreciate them for their support. They should keep supporting us... we are going to make them proud,” he stated.
The match against the Dominican Republic drew an impressive crowd of 13,535, marking the highest attendance for any Dominican Republic national team match.
Next up for the Flamingos is a highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown against their U.S. counterparts as they look to advance further in the tournament.
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