“I’m Incredibly Proud Of The Girls” – Nigeria’s Under-17 Coach Says After Losing To USA

Nigeria head coach Bankole Olowookere expressed pride in his players’ efforts during the 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.

The journey of coach Bankole Olowookere and his players at the Under-17 FIFA World Cup ended when they suffered a 2-0 defeat against the USA in the first quarterfinal match at Estadio Cibao, Santiago de Los Caballeros.

The American team scored in both halves, with Kennedy Fuller finding the net just before halftime and Kimmi Ascanio extending their lead in the second half. This victory avenged the USA’s earlier loss to Nigeria in the penalty shootout during the 2022 edition in India.

While the result propels the USA to the semifinals for the first time since 2008, Nigeria missed the opportunity to reach the semifinals for a second consecutive tournament.

In a post-match press conference reported by FIFA.com, Olowookere commended the girls for their efforts and emphasized the potential for future growth.

He said, “I’m incredibly proud of the girls; they’ve given it their all and made significant progress along the way. While their best effort didn’t yield the result we hoped for, I believe we can reach higher levels moving forward, and we will strive to improve next time.”

Despite entering the match with a perfect group stage record, Nigeria faced strong competition from the Americans. A critical moment occurred just before halftime when the referee awarded a penalty after Jocelyn Travers was fouled in the box. Following a video review, Kennedy Fuller converted the penalty, giving the USA an important lead.

The second half remained competitive, with Nigeria striving to create opportunities. The first significant chance came when a turnover allowed Taiwo Afolabi to take a shot, which was saved by Evan Osteen. However, the USA capitalized on weaknesses in Nigeria’s high defensive line, leading to Ascanio’s goal that sealed their victory.

The USA will now prepare to face Korea DPR in the semifinals at Estadio Cibao, Santiago de Los Caballeros, as they look to advance further in the tournament.