By

Eniola Olatunji reporting 

The Flamingoes of Nigeria on Sunday night in Rabat, Morocco started their campaign of the 9th world U17 female football on a terrible note getting whipped by Red Ones of Canada in their opening Group D match 1-4.

The first half had ended at 1-1 as Gabriela Istochi scored in the 2nd minute through a diagonal pass from Molly Hale in the left flank before Queen Joseph equalized in the 29th minute.

Nigeria planned to capture the midfield playing a 3-5-2 pattern and Canada playing 4-2-3-1; Canada made three changes at a go in the 61st minute for Melisa Kekic to score the 2nd goal in the 73rd minute. 

Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Elizabeth Boniface made an embarrassing error dropping the ball she already caught to the leg of Julia Amireh who toed it into an empty net in the 80th minute for the 3rd goal. Amireh scored her brace in the 86th minute to make the Flamingoes dazed on the pitch thinking what hit them.

Canada had lost the services of her Central Defender, 16 year old Emma Reda who is daughter of Canadian International, Marco Reda. Emma was hurt at training on Saturday evening. 

France wrecked Samoa 4-2 in the other Group D match to come second after Canada on the table with 3 points like Canada that scored 4 goals and conceded one and France with 4 goals conceded 2. Samoa is 3rd with no point scoring 2 goals and conceding 4 and Nigeria is at the bottom with no point scoring just a goal and conceding 4.

Nigeria will face France on Wednesday at 5pm and Canada will try to establish her win against Samoa at 8pm.

Another African country, Zambia lost to Paraguay 1-2 in group F while Japan beat New Zealand 3-0 in the same group F. 

The Flamingoes of Nigeria and The Red Ones of Canada met once which was at the 2012 U17 world cup in Azerbaijan where Nigeria and Canada played 1-1 in a group A match on 22nd September at Baku before a crowd of 30,250 fans that featured Ukrainian Ref Kateryna Monzul in charge. Pierre-Louis scored for Canada and Ihezuo equalized.

Nigeria won group A with 7 points scoring 15 goals and conceding 1 while Canada was second also with 7 points scoring 2 goals and conceding one. The two teams were ousted at the round of 16 games with Nigeria losing at Baku to France 3-5 on penalties after a goalless full time and Canada lost to North Korea 1-2.  

Nigeria had been to the tournament finals 7 times getting the Bronze with a 3-2 win over Germany on penalties after 3-3 at full time. She lost in the semifinal to Colombia5-6 on penalties after a goalless full time. Nigeria got to the quarters three times at Azerbaijan 2012; Costa Rica 2014 and Dominican Republic 2024.

Canada is also at the tournament for the 7th time but her best was a 4th position placing at Uruguay 2018 when she lost to Brazil 1-2 after losing at the semis 0-1 to Mexico. She was quarterfinalist three times in 2008, 2012 and 2014. 

Nigeria in Group D will feature against Canada, France that she will be meeting   next and Samoa.

Hosts Morocco scheduled to play in Group A along Italy and Costa Rica lost her    opening match 0-3 to Brazil. 

Cameroon is playing in group B along North Korea, Mexico and Netherlands. Zambia is playing in group F with Japan, New Zealand and Paraguay.

To qualify for the tournament finals, Nigeria defeated Algeria 4-0 on aggregate; Zambia thrashed Benin Girls 6-2 on aggregate; Cameroon lashed Kenyan babes 4-1on aggregate while Ivory Coast that will play in group E at the world final games got qualified on away goals rule as she played 2-2 with Guinea. 

The 9th world U17 female football Tournament holding in Morocco is to end on 8th November 2025.