Nigeria’s Flamingos are set for a stern test as they face high-flying Italy in the Round of 16 at the ongoing FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. The clash is taking place today at Pitch 2 of the Football Academy Mohamed VI in Rabat, with kickoff at 8 pm local time.
A spot in the quarter-finals is at stake, but the Flamingos will have to contend with a formidable Italian side that has been in sensational form throughout the tournament.
Italy topped Group A with a perfect nine points, recording a thrilling 4-3 victory over Brazil, a 3-1 win against hosts Morocco, and a 3-0 success over Costa Rica.
Central to their dominance is Giulia Galli, the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, whose clinical finishing has made Italy one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
In contrast, Nigeria’s path to the knockout stage has been far from smooth.
The Flamingos opened their campaign with a heavy 4-1 defeat to Canada and followed it with a narrow 1-0 loss to France. However, they bounced back strongly with a 4-0 victory over Samoa, securing qualification as one of the best third-placed teams.
