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After fighting their way back from the brink of early elimination, Nigeria’s Flamingos are now brimming with belief as they prepare to face Italy in the Round of 16 at the ongoing FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. Nigerian time, and the mood in camp is one of faith, redemption, and quiet confidence.
Following two painful defeats 4–1 to Canada and 1–0 to France, the young Flamingos roared back to life with a commanding 4–0 victory over Samoa, sealing qualification for the knockout stage in dramatic fashion.
Head coach Bankole Olowookere, speaking at the pre-match press conference, reflected on the emotional turnaround his team has experienced over the past week.
> “First of all, I give glory to God Almighty who has made it possible for us to still be here,” he began. “After losing two matches, it looked like our story was over. But football is about mindset. We had to reset ourselves, rebuild confidence, and remind the girls why they came to Morocco in the first place.”
According to Olowookere, he and his technical crew had to do more than just tactical adjustments, they needed to rebuild belief.
> “I asked them one simple question: Are you ready to go back to Nigeria? And they all said no. So I told them, if you’re not ready to go back, then you have to fight for it. They promised me they would, and they did exactly that against Samoa."!
The coach admitted that the 4–0 scoreline wasn’t accidental. It was part of a deliberate plan to cancel out their earlier goal deficit and ensure qualification.
> “We set a target of at least four goals,” he explained. “We knew we needed to strike early because once a team concedes in the first half, they become more defensive. So we pushed for three goals before halftime and then sealed the job later. We wanted five, but four was enough to achieve our aim.”
When asked about the challenge of facing an unbeaten Italy side, Olowookere delivered a confident response:
> “Nobody in football is unbeatable. Italy hasn’t lost yet, but there’s always a first time. Maybe that first time will come against Nigeria. My girls are not ready to go home; they still have something to prove. We’ll correct our early mistakes and fight to the end.”
Tabitha Terlumu one of the flamingoes players echoed her coach’s words, admitting the early struggles were tough but highlighting how the team has matured through adversity.
> “It was a tough group, but I believe we had everything to win from the start,” she said. “Against Canada, we lost focus in the second half. Against France, we played well but just made one defensive error. The Samoa match showed how much we improved. Now, if we combine the energy we used in those two games, we’ll go far.”
The captain Shakirat Moshood added that the Samoa victory restored full confidence to the dressing room.
> “That win gave us 100% confidence. We’re coming out with full force to beat Italy. It’s a must-win, and by God’s grace, we will win.”
Meanwhile, midfielder Fatima Shu’aib was even more direct, sending a message to Nigerians back home.
> “They should expect a win from us nothing less. We’re not ready to go back home. We’re taking the Cup to Nigeria,” she said boldly. “People see Italy’s size and height, but Samoa were even taller than us. Size doesn’t play football. We’re ready to fight.”
With their spirits reignited and lessons learned, the Flamingos are walking into tonight’s clash against Italy not as underdogs, but as a team reborn through trial and teamwork.
As Coach Olowookere put it, “When you lose in the knockout stage, there’s no second chance. So, we’re going to make sure we win, and keep Nigeria’s dream alive.”
The stage is set. The calculations are done. The belief is strong. At 8 p.m. tonight, Nigeria’s Flamingos will once again take flight not just to survive, but to soar.
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