Nigeria’s Flamingos midfielder Rodiat Yusuf has described scoring her first goal at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup as a memorable career moment after helping the team defeat defending champions North Korea 3-1 to reach the Round of 16.
Yusuf curled home a superb free-kick in the 56th minute of the Group B encounter on October 23 in Morocco, extending Nigeria’s lead to three goals and capping an impressive performance that earned her the Player of the Match award.
Reflecting on the victory, the youngster credited the team’s determination, consistency and collective effort for securing the crucial result.
“I feel so excited because we were determined that this is the result we wanted, and we got it through hard work and consistency,” Yusuf said.
She also acknowledged the role of the technical crew, explaining that following the coaches’ instructions helped the Flamingos achieve their objective against the reigning champions.
“We worked as a team and with the help of the coaches’ instructions, we were able to get our result,” she added.
For Yusuf, finding the net on such a significant occasion made the victory even more special.
“It was a good moment for me, scoring my first goal in this match. It is a remarkable memory for me, and I am so excited we got the win that we wanted,” she said.
The 3-1 triumph secured Nigeria’s place in the knockout stage after an opening 2-1 defeat to Poland and a 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico. Oluwakemi Adegbuyi and Oluebube Umejiaku scored Nigeria’s first-half goals before Yusuf’s free-kick put the result beyond the defending champions’ reach.
With the Flamingos now preparing for the next challenge, Yusuf urged her teammates to move on from the achievement and maintain their focus.
“We should keep our heads up. This we have played, and it has gone. We just have to keep giving our best every time and every match,” she said.
Her message reflects Nigeria’s determination to build on the landmark victory and continue its pursuit of success at the tournament.
