Flamingos head coach Akeem Busari has praised his players for showing courage and determination in their impressive 3-1 victory over defending champions North Korea at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The Flamingos secured their place in the Round of 16 with Friday night’s victory, delivering a remarkable response after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Poland in their opening match.

Nigeria bounced back from that setback with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico before producing a dominant display against North Korea, who had scored 12 goals and conceded just once in their opening two matches.

Busari Lauds Flamingos

Busari commended his players for rising to the occasion despite the formidable record of their opponents.

“Everybody would have written Nigeria off, looking at Korea’s record and level of play. In two games, they scored 12 goals and conceded only one, while we won one and lost the other,” Busari said during his interaction with the media after the game.

Bouncing Back From Poland Defeat

Busari also acknowledged the disappointment of their opening defeat to Poland, noting that the team had to overcome its psychological setback and regain confidence.

“The team we lost to also lost 6-1 to Korea. But we took our courage and let our girls see that Poland are not a team we need to lose to.

“Being the first game in the tournament, we were not really up there psychologically. So this was a game we had to prove our point,” Busari added.

The victory marks a significant boost for the Flamingos as they advance to the knockout stage, where they will face the runners-up from Group B in Sale on Thursday.