Flamingos Coach Busari Praises Players After Victory Over Venezuela

Nigeria’s Flamingos head coach, Akeem Busari, has praised his players for their determination and commitment after securing a 1-0 victory over Venezuela in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The Nigerian side booked their place in the semi-finals following a tense encounter against Venezuela, coached by Dayana Frías, in Rabat on Sunday night.

Azeezat Oduntan scored the decisive goal, converting a late penalty to send Nigeria into the last four for only the second time in the competition’s history.

The victory came after a closely contested match in which Venezuela gave the Flamingos a difficult challenge despite Nigeria enjoying periods of possession and attacking pressure.

Nigeria also came close to scoring on two occasions, but both attempts were denied by the woodwork.

Speaking after the match, Busari expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall effort, although he acknowledged that his players made mistakes during the encounter.

“We gave everything on the pitch tonight. We wanted to keep the ball and play our game, but we made some mistakes,” Busari told FIFA.

The Flamingos will now turn their attention to the semi-final, where they are scheduled to face Brazil in Rabat on Wednesday night.

A victory against Brazil would take Nigeria into the final as they continue their pursuit of a historic triumph at the tournament.