The Nigerian U17 women’s team, famously known as the Flamingos, experienced a dramatic end to their 10-match unbeaten run on Saturday morning, falling 4-3 to New Zealand in Casablanca, according to Soccernet.ng.
This defeat marks the Flamingos’ first loss in 11 warm-up fixtures ahead of the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup set to take place in Morocco.
Despite the result, Bankole Olowookere‘s squad displayed impressive offensive prowess, which should boost their morale as they continue preparations for the upcoming global tournament.
The encounter was a captivating display of fast-paced, end-to-end football.
Nigeria started strongly, applying intense pressure and earning an early corner within the opening two minutes.
Captain Shakirat Moshood was particularly active in the early stages, while goalkeeper Elizabeth Boniface made a crucial save to deny New Zealand from a free kick.
The Flamingos’ early dominance bore fruit in the 13th minute when Queen Joseph calmly converted a precise through ball to put Nigeria ahead.
New Zealand responded in the 25th minute with Laura Bennett scoring, marking the first goal conceded by Nigeria throughout their entire warm-up campaign.
Shortly after, New Zealand had another goal disallowed for offside, but Moshood restored Nigeria’s advantage with a spectacular long-range effort in the 42nd minute, sending the team into halftime leading 2-1.
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New Zealand’s Second-Half Comeback Secures Win Over Nigeria
The second half unfolded with fluctuating momentum and numerous scoring opportunities.
Queen Joseph came close to extending Nigeria’s lead, but her shot struck the post. This miss proved pivotal as Bennett capitalized, netting her second goal in the 55th minute to level the score at 2-2, before completing a hat-trick in the 74th minute to give New Zealand their first lead of the match.
Nigeria quickly responded through Ayo, who unleashed a powerful strike from outside the penalty area to equalize at 3-3. However, Candy Sienna’s stunning goal in the 80th minute ultimately secured the victory for the Kiwis.
In the closing moments, the Flamingos pushed forward aggressively but were unable to break down a steadfast New Zealand defense.
This loss concludes Nigeria’s impressive unbeaten streak of 10 matches, during which they scored 47 goals and conceded just four.
Looking ahead, the Flamingos will face Paraguay in their final warm-up game before relocating to Rabat, where they will compete in Group D against Canada, France, and Samoa. Nigeria’s World Cup journey kicks off on October 19.