Nigeria's U17 women's team, the Flamingos, delivered a commanding 4-1 victory over New Zealand in their opening match of the 2024 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup at the Cibao Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
Goals from Shakirat Moshood, Taiwo Adegoke, Faridat Abdulwahab, and captain Taiwo Afolabi propelled Bankole Olowookere's side to a confident start in the tournament.
At the 2022 edition in India, Nigeria similarly defeated New Zealand 4-0, continuing their dominance over the AFC side.
A flurry of goals in Cibao
Nigeria wasted no time taking control of the match. In the 2nd minute, attacking midfielder Shakirat Moshood opened the scoring after a swift counterattack involving Effiong and Harmony Chidi. Chidi provided the assist, and Moshood weaved past her marker before slotting a left-footed shot into the near post, giving the Flamingos an early lead.
Just 11 minutes later, Taiwo Adegoke, a right-back with an eye for attack, found herself in midfield to receive a pass from Abdulwahab. Her shot, though initially parried by New Zealand goalkeeper Brooke Neary, crossed the line to extend Nigeria's advantage to 2-0.
Faridat Abdulwahab, who had been testing New Zealand's defense with long-range efforts, added a third goal in the 27th minute. Following a short corner from Moshood, Abdulwahab unleashed a powerful shot that curled into the left corner of the net, leaving Neary stunned.
Nigeria's dominance continued in the second half. In the 56th minute, captain Taiwo Afolabi capped off a memorable performance with a remarkable header, nodding the ball into the back of the net despite her diminutive stature, making it 4-0.
Six minutes after Afolabi’s goal, New Zealand pulled one back through Hannah Saxon, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from the Flamingos.
However, the game ended 4-1 in Nigeria's favor, with the team now topping Group A ahead of their next match against Ecuador on Saturday.
