Nigeria’s female cadet national team, Flamingos, will have to be better organised in order to overcome Venezuela this Sunday when both sides clash in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup, Sports247 reports.
This terse verdict is contained in a preview by the communications department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ahead of the Sunday evening encounter scheduled to hold in Morocco’s north-western coastal city of Salé, near Rabat.
As the countdown gets tighter towards the clash, the NFF’s media department also noted that the Flamingos must not forget that Venezuela got one of this year’s big shocks with their 1-0 victory over Germany in the round of 16.
However, the preview also noted that the Nigerians have their 3-1 spanking of back-to-back defending champions, DPR Korea, in their last group match to show in their title credentials, which were further boosted by their 2-0 conquest of Mexico in the round of 16.
The preview added: “Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, will face Venezuela in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026 on Sunday, with both teams chasing a place in the last four.
“The Flamingos had a difficult start, losing 2-1 to Poland in their opening match. However, they bounced back with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico before producing an impressive 3-1 victory over defending champions, North Korea to secure their place in the Round of 16.
“Coach Hakeem Busari’s side continued their strong run with a hard-fought win over Mexico in the Round of 16. That result has given Nigeria another opportunity to reach the semi-finals as they look to go further than they did at the previous edition.
“Venezuela, meanwhile, are back at the tournament after a ten-year absence. They lost 2-0 to France in their opening match but managed to pick up three points during the group stage against another African opposition, Zambia to keep their campaign alive.
“Despite their mixed group-stage results, Venezuela showed what they are capable of in the Round of 16, recording a surprise 1-0 victory over Germany. They will now be hoping to carry that momentum into their meeting with Nigeria.
“The South American side have a strong record, having reached the semi-finals in their last two appearances. With a semi-final at stake, the Flamingos will need to stay organised, take their chances and deliver another strong performance against a side full of belief.”
Sports247 gathered further that the game, which will decide the last semi-finalist at the ongoing Female Cadet Mundial, is scheduled to start rolling from 7 pm Nigeria time at Mohammed VI Football Complex (Pitch 4) in Salé, Rabat.
