Nigeria's Flamingos are champions of the world. The country's Under-17 women's side beat Japan 2-1 in Saturday's final to lift the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup for the first time, according to Channels TV, and in doing so became the first team from Africa ever to win the competition.
Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku were the scorers on the night, with the Nigerian girls holding off a determined Japanese fightback late in the game to seal a title that caps one of the most dramatic runs in the tournament.
How the final was won
Bashiru broke the deadlock in the 39th minute. Midfielder Mary Dunstan lofted a dipping ball goalwards, and Japan's goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki could not keep hold of it, the ball squirming through her gloves before Bashiru made sure. Nigeria went into the break leading 1-0.
The Flamingos struck again almost immediately after the restart. In the 47th minute, Esther Stephen launched a long ball forward, Umejiaku ran onto it, took it down with her left foot and calmly chipped it over Kadowaki to make it 2-0.
Japan refused to go quietly. Fuki Ito pulled one back in the 80th minute, finishing off a pass from Anri Ito, and the Japanese spent the closing stretch pressing hard for a leveller while Nigeria dug in to protect their lead.
Kanyinsola Yusuf picked up a yellow card in the 83rd minute, but the Flamingos still carried a threat on the break, with both Umejiaku and Yusuf having efforts. Mashiro Yamaji tried her luck late on for Japan, but the Nigerian defence stood firm. Umejiaku was caught offside in the 94th minute, and the referee ended the contest after five minutes of stoppage time.
From a shaky start to the top of the world
What makes the triumph even sweeter is how the campaign began. The Flamingos actually lost their opening game 2-1 to Poland, a result that could easily have derailed them. Instead, they rattled off five straight wins on the road to the final, Channels TV reported.
They bounced back with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico, then stunned the tournament by beating defending champions North Korea 3-1. That result snapped North Korea's run of 18 matches without defeat in regulation time at the competition.
In the Round of 16, Umejiaku and Dunstan were on target as Nigeria edged Mexico 2-1. The quarter-final against Venezuela went down to the wire, with Azeezat Oduntan slotting home a penalty in the 89th minute to settle it 1-0.
The semi-final against Brazil sent Nigeria into a World Cup final at this level for the very first time. Queen Joseph put the Flamingos ahead in the 56th minute, and Bashiru added two more, in the 71st and 80th minutes. Brazil got one back late, but it changed nothing as Nigeria won 3-1.
