Nigeria’s Flamingos have reached the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup after captain Azeezat Oduntan converted an 89th-minute penalty to defeat Venezuela 1-0 in Morocco on Sunday, 1 November. The result sends Nigeria into the last four of the tournament for only the second time.
The quarter-final at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Salé remained goalless for most of the contest, despite sustained Nigerian pressure. Venezuela goalkeeper and captain Valeria Rebanales produced important saves as the South American side resisted Nigeria’s attempts to take control.
Oluebube Umejiaku won the decisive penalty after being brought down inside the Venezuelan area late in the second half. The referee upheld the decision following a review, leaving Oduntan to take the spot kick with the match approaching its conclusion. She converted to give Nigeria the lead.
The Flamingos then defended their advantage through stoppage time as Venezuela sought an equaliser. Astrid Granadillo and Abril Alejo were among those who threatened late, but the Nigerian defence held firm to secure the victory and eliminate a side that had beaten Germany in the previous round.
Nigeria had created opportunities earlier through players including Mary Dunstan, Tosin Rafiu and Umejiaku. Rebanales repeatedly frustrated the attackers, keeping the score level at half-time and well into the second period. Head coach Akeem Busari introduced Precious Oscar for Oluwakemi Adegbuyi during the second half as Nigeria continued its search for a breakthrough.
The win extends a recovery that began after Nigeria lost its opening group match 2-1 to Poland. The Flamingos responded with a 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico, followed by a 3-1 win against defending champions Korea DPR. They then defeated Mexico 2-1 in the round of 16 to reach the Venezuela encounter.
Those results mean Nigeria have now won four consecutive matches at the competition. Their progress has included victories against opponents from the Caribbean, Asia, North America and South America, while the narrow quarter-final success demonstrated the importance of maintaining concentration when chances are not converted.
Brazil will provide the next challenge in the semi-final on Wednesday, 4 November, at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat. The South Americans earned their place with a 2-1 comeback victory over China, setting up a meeting between two sides seeking a place in the final.
The other semi-final will feature Japan and Korea DPR. Japan advanced by defeating Ghana 1-0, while Korea DPR overcame the United States 3-0. Ghana’s elimination leaves Nigeria as Africa’s remaining representative in the final four of the women’s youth tournament.
The Flamingos previously reached the semi-finals in 2022, when they went on to finish third and claim the bronze medal in India. A victory over Brazil would take Nigeria into the final for the first time, but the team must first overcome another opponent that has already shown its ability to recover from a difficult match.
Oduntan’s winning penalty also underlined the value of leadership in a tightly contested knockout fixture. She wore the captain’s armband against Venezuela and took responsibility for the decisive kick after the team had spent much of the match trying to break down a disciplined defence.
Nigeria now have two days to prepare for Brazil. The semi-final will determine whether the Flamingos advance to the title match or contest the third-place play-off, with the final stages of the competition scheduled for Saturday, 7 November.
Archive photograph: Nigeria’s under-17 women’s team against Samoa at the 2025 tournament, not the Venezuela quarter-final. Photograph by Wikimedia Morocco, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Image resized without changing its content.
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