U-17 WWC: Olowookere pleased with Flamingos’ perfect run

Flamingos head coach, Bankole Olowookere, has expressed satisfaction with his team’s perfect record in the group stage of the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which they capped with a 1-0 win over host nation Dominican Republic on Wednesday.

Shakirat Moshood’s winner in the 89th minute ensured they finished top of Group A with a maximum nine points from three matches.

“I give kudos to the girls who have used their energy to get this result,” Olowookere said.

“I’m so happy; I’m happy for myself, happy for the team, and happy for the whole of Nigeria.”

The match, which drew a record crowd of 13,535 fans—the highest ever attendance for any Dominican Republic National Team football match—saw the Flamingos employ a measured approach.

“It is our game plan (to conserve energy); we still have quarterfinals. We are not taking them for granted, but we knew in this match we had to manage our energy and strength; these are young girls with many games to play, so we had to take it easy,” the coach said.

“We still have to make use of some of our players who are yet to play and just keep the balance. Whether by one goal or ten goals, just three points will win the game.”

The victory sets up an intriguing quarterfinal clash against the United States on Saturday night, a rematch of their 2022 encounter in India, where Nigeria triumphed 4-3 on penalties.

Looking ahead to the clash, Olowookere said, “Exactly quarterfinals when we faced them the last time. It’s football for you; we are ready for the game and ready for the girls. When the time comes, we will sit down and work on our tactical plan and how we’ll approach the game.”

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