Nigeria are world champions. The Flamingos beat Japan 2-1 in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat on Saturday night, becoming the first African team ever to win the tournament.
The result, plainly
Japan 1-2 Nigeria, decided in 90 minutes — no penalties needed. Awawu Bashiru put Nigeria ahead in the 39th minute, Oluebube Umejiaku doubled the lead two minutes into the second half, and Japan’s Fuki Ito pulled one back in the 80th minute. Nigeria held on through a tense final ten minutes to lift the trophy at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat.
How the game was won
Nigeria started on the front foot and never really let Japan settle. Bashiru’s opener was a dropping ball from outside the box that slipped through goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki’s gloves, and the second was pure impudence — Esther Stephen’s raking pass upfield, Umejiaku racing on to it and lobbing Kadowaki with her left foot. Japan came alive late and Ito’s 80th-minute volley set up a nervy finish, but the Flamingos’ defence stood firm until the final whistle.
The goalscorers
Bashiru, who also scored twice in the semi-final against Brazil, opened the scoring in the 39th minute. Umejiaku, named player of the match, made it 2-0 in the 47th minute with a delicate lob over Kadowaki. For Japan, substitute Anri Ito headed a corner back across goal for her namesake Fuki Ito to volley home in the 80th minute.
What it means
Nigeria are world champions for the first time, and the first African champions in the history of the tournament. No African team had ever reached this final before, let alone won it. The Flamingos also go one better than the previous best finish — third place at India 2022.
The road here
It started badly and ended in gold. Nigeria lost their opener 2-1 to Poland, then won six matches in a row: Puerto Rico 2-0, North Korea 3-1, Mexico 2-1, Venezuela 1-0 through captain Azeezat Oduntan’s late penalty, Brazil 3-1 in the semi-final, and now Japan 2-1 in the final.
Japan in the final
Japan came into the final as 2014 champions and runners-up in 2010 and 2016, unbeaten in Morocco, and had reached the final by beating North Korea on penalties in the semi-final after a 1-1 draw. They fought until the end in Rabat, but this was Nigeria’s night.
What happens next
Earlier on Saturday, North Korea took the bronze medal with a 6-0 win over Brazil in the third-place match, leaving Brazil fourth for the second straight edition. No homecoming date has been confirmed yet.
(Featured image: Judit Cartiel – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images.)
