In a thrilling encounter at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Nigeria’s Flamingos clinched a dramatic 1-0 victory over hosts Dominican Republic with a last-minute goal. The match, played early Wednesday in Santo Domingo, saw Nigeria secure their third consecutive win in the tournament, solidifying their position as Group A leaders.
The decisive moment came in the 89th minute when midfielder Shakirat Moshood unleashed a stunning left-footed strike from 25 yards, beating the Dominican goalkeeper and securing all three points for her team. This marked Moshood’s fourth goal of the tournament, further establishing her as one of the standout performers for Nigeria.
Earlier in the match, Moshood had a goal ruled out for offside following a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), just 15 minutes into the game. Despite the setback, the Flamingos continued to push forward, with team captain Taiwo Afolabi testing the Dominican goalkeeper before halftime. After the break, Nigeria maintained relentless pressure, which eventually paid off with Moshood’s late winner.
With the win, Nigeria finished the group stage with a perfect nine points, having earlier defeated New Zealand 4-1 and Ecuador 4-0 in their opening matches. Coach Bankole Olowokoore’s side displayed impressive form throughout the group phase, emerging as one of the top contenders in the tournament.
Notably, the match in Santo Domingo set a record for the highest attendance at any Dominican Republic national team football game, with 13,535 spectators in attendance, according to FIFA’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Up next, Nigeria will face the United States in the quarterfinals, as the Flamingos look to continue their journey toward World Cup glory.
