Flamingos battle Mexico in last-16 World Cup clash

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Nigeria’s Flamingos will battle Mexico for a place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup when both sides meet in the Round of 16 in Morocco on Thursday.

The Flamingos head into the knockout encounter on the back of a 3-1 victory over Korea DPR, a result that secured their progress after they finished second in Group B with six points.

Nigeria began their campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Poland but responded with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico before overcoming the North Koreans to book their place in the last 16.

The Nigerian side will hope to maintain their improved form against Mexico, who also finished second in their group to advance to the knockout stage.

Mexico opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Spain before recovering with a 3-1 victory over Chile and a 1-0 win against Australia to finish Group F with six points.

Both teams will be eager to avoid an early exit, with Thursday’s fixture offering Nigeria an opportunity to move closer to another podium finish at the competition.

The Flamingos won bronze at the 2022 edition in India, while Mexico finished third at the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

Nigeria will rely on their attacking threat and the confidence gained from their victory over Korea DPR, but must remain disciplined against a Mexican side that finished the group stage with back-to-back wins.

With a quarter-final place at stake, the encounter is expected to test both teams’ ability to handle the pressure of knockout football.

The winner will advance to the quarter-finals, keeping alive their hopes of lifting the trophy in Morocco.

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