Nigeria’s Flamingos have secured a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco after edging Venezuela 1-0 in a tense quarter-final encounter on Sunday, according to ChannelsTv and Premium Times. Captain Azeezat Oduntan converted a late penalty in the 89th minute to send the Nigerian team into the last four, keeping their hopes of winning the competition alive. The decisive moment came after forward Oluebube Umejiaku was brought down inside Venezuela’s penalty area. Following a VAR review, the referee upheld the penalty decision, allowing Oduntan to step forward and deliver the winning goal.
The closely contested encounter saw Nigeria dominate periods of the game and create several opportunities, but Venezuela goalkeeper Valeria Rebanales repeatedly denied the Flamingos with a series of important saves. Despite their attacking pressure, the Nigerian side struggled to find a breakthrough until the closing minutes. Venezuela also threatened as the match progressed, but Nigeria maintained its defensive discipline to protect the narrow advantage through eight minutes of added time. The victory marks the Flamingos’ return to the semi-final stage for the second time in the competition’s history, following their bronze-medal finish at the 2022 edition in India.
Nigeria will now face Brazil in the semi-finals on Wednesday, November 4, at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat. Brazil booked their place in the last four with a 2-1 victory over China, setting up a meeting between two sides seeking a place in the final. The other semi-final will feature Japan and defending champions North Korea. For the Flamingos, the encounter presents an opportunity to reach their first-ever final at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and move a step closer to securing Nigeria’s first title in the competition.
