Nigeria’s Flamingos have pulled their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup campaign back from the edge.
A 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico in Rabat on Tuesday delivered the three points Nigeria badly needed after their opening defeat to Poland, with Oluwakemi Adegbuyi breaking the resistance in the first half before Precious Oscar scored in stoppage time to finish the job.
The result does not complete the rescue.
It gives Nigeria the chance to fight for one.
A final Group B meeting with defending champions DPR Korea on Friday now carries the weight of the Flamingos’ knockout ambitions.
Adegbuyi breaks the tension
Nigeria entered the Puerto Rico game under immediate pressure after losing their opening Group B match 2-1 to Poland.
The response was aggressive.
Queen Joseph tested Puerto Rico goalkeeper Victoria Moore-Torres early, while captain Chidi Harmony struck the crossbar as Nigeria pushed for control.
The breakthrough came in the 25th minute.
After Puerto Rico failed to clear properly, Joseph moved the ball to Adegbuyi. Her first effort was blocked, but she reacted quickest to the rebound and converted to put Nigeria ahead.
Puerto Rico stayed in the contest deep into the second half, forcing Nigeria to protect a narrow advantage.
Then came the release.
Oscar scored in the 93rd minute to seal the 2-0 victory and Nigeria’s first points of the tournament.
Busari gets the response he needed
Coach Akeem Busari had demanded a reaction after the defeat to Poland.
He got one.
Speaking after the match, Busari praised the strength of Nigeria’s performance in a contest the Flamingos knew they could not afford to lose.
The win changed Nigeria’s position.
It did not make the next challenge any easier.
DPR Korea entered the tournament as defending champions and remain the heavyweight obstacle in Group B. FIFA’s tournament profile identifies them as four-time winners of the competition, including the 2024 and 2025 titles.
That is what now waits for Nigeria.
DPR Korea are the wall
Nigeria face DPR Korea on Friday, 23 October at 15:00 local time, with Puerto Rico and Poland scheduled simultaneously in the other Group B fixture.
The equation is simple enough in sporting terms even if the final qualification mathematics will depend on the group’s concluding results.
Nigeria have restored their campaign.
Now they must produce again against the strongest opponent in the section.
DPR Korea also carry one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacking threats in Yu Jong-hyang, the returning 2025 Golden Ball and Golden Boot winner.
Puerto Rico demanded patience.
DPR Korea will demand far more.
Nigeria finally have momentum
Tuesday’s victory restored more than three points.
It restored control.
Adegbuyi delivered the breakthrough. Oscar supplied the insurance. Joseph helped create the opener. Harmony came close to forcing an earlier breakthrough.
Those moments matter for a team that began the tournament with defeat.
Nigeria now have goals, points and a meaningful final group match.
They also have clarity.
The loss to Poland removed their margin for error.
The victory over Puerto Rico restored belief and opportunity.
DPR Korea will decide how far that recovery can travel.
Nigeria are alive again.
Now the Flamingos have to show they can turn survival into qualification.
