Nigeria’s U17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, suffered another setback at the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup after a 1–0 defeat to France in their second Group D match on Wednesday night in Rabat, Morocco.
Despite showing signs of improvement following their opening 4–1 loss to Canada, the Flamingos once again failed to capitalise on their chances, leaving their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage in doubt.
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The first half was tightly contested, with both sides defending well and creating limited opportunities.
Nigeria registered four goal attempts. more than France’s three, but failed to find the back of the net.
Chisom Nwachukwu came closest for Nigeria in the opening period with a superbly struck free kick, but France goalkeeper Chevray Lauryne reacted brilliantly to tip the effort over the bar.
The Flamingos’ best chance arrived in the 50th minute when Queen Joseph’s corner fell kindly to Nwachukwu, whose close-range shot was once again denied by the alert French keeper.
France nearly took the lead in the 62nd minute, but Jumai Adebayo’s heroic goal-line clearance spared Nigeria after Elizabeth Boniface’s failed attempt to smother the ball.
However, the breakthrough eventually came in the 81st minute, when Maissa Fathallah fired a low shot past Boniface to hand France the decisive goal.
The result leaves Nigeria bottom of Group D with no points from two matches, and they must now beat Samoa in their final group fixture to have any chance of advancing.
