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According to a post shared on the Super Falcons' official X account on Friday, November 6, 2026, Nigeria's Flamingos have unveiled their starting lineup for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup final against Japan in Rabat, with head coach Akeem Ishola Busari making important selection decisions ahead of the highly anticipated encounter.
Nigeria's Flamingos are on the verge of achieving a historic milestone as they prepare to battle Japan for the U-17 Women's World Cup title. With just one victory separating them from lifting the trophy, Busari has opted to maintain the team structure that has guided the young Nigerian side to the final.
Two major decisions stand out in the coach's selection, particularly his decision to retain his established attacking partnership and continue trusting the players who have delivered throughout the competition.
Busari Maintains His Trusted Attacking Trio
One of the biggest talking points from the lineup is Busari's decision to keep Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, Oluebube Umejiaku and Awawu Bashiru in the attacking department.
The three forwards have been instrumental in Nigeria's impressive campaign, scoring two goals each to emerge as the country's joint-leading scorers in the tournament. Their contributions have been particularly important in helping the Flamingos overcome difficult opponents, including their impressive performance against South Korea.
Despite the physical demands of the competition and the possibility of making changes, Busari has decided against disrupting his attacking combination. His decision suggests that he believes the trio's understanding, pace, movement and finishing ability will remain crucial to Nigeria's chances of defeating Japan.
By keeping all three forwards in the starting lineup, the coach has maintained the attacking threat that has troubled opposing defences throughout the tournament.
Confidence in Players Who Have Delivered Under Pressure
Another significant decision made by Busari is his continued trust in the players who helped Nigeria secure qualification for the final.
Rather than making several changes or introducing fresh faces simply to alter the team's approach, the Flamingos' coach has chosen to rely on the core group that has consistently delivered important performances during the competition.
The players have already demonstrated their understanding of his tactical instructions, developed strong chemistry on the pitch and shown that they can perform against challenging opposition.
Busari's decision to maintain the same group reflects his confidence in their abilities and the consistency they have displayed so far. With such a crucial encounter ahead, preserving the team's established rhythm could prove decisive as Nigeria prepare to take on Japan with the ultimate prize at stake.