…France loses Last Penalty Shootout to Give China 4-3 Win.
The Flamingoes of Nigeria diligently stopped the famous Mexican waves in football for the Mexican women’s U17 team at the ongoing World Cup tournament in Morocco with an emphatic 2-1 victory in the round of 16 games.
Mexico never defeated Nigeria but our girls did not equal neither did they erase the previous 3-0 win.
Goals from Oluebube Umejiaku in the 40th minute and a rebound well taken advantage of by Mary Dunstan in the 71st minute was all Nigeria needed to advance into her 6th quarterfinal.
32 year old Slovakian Ref Miriama Bockova added 16 minutes of injury time and an injury to star girl Olubukola Adegbuyi that brought in Precious Oscar showed Nigeria had a good bench but Mexico left struggle late as Camila Campos started playing like an Elephant clearing girls and balls found Emily Delgado to score in the 90+10 minute. Her effort to clear everything in sight to get into the Nigerian net got her a yellow card in the 90+14 minute.
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It is their 3rd meeting at this age group. Nigeria won the first meeting of 2014 group D game on 24th March 3-0 and drew1-1 on 7th October 2024. I opened FIFA to see their records. Mexico played total 33 matches winning 12, drew 6, lost 15, scored 43 goals and conceded 56. Nigeria played 32 games winning 15, drew 7, lost 10, scored 66 goals and conceded 42. Nigeria obviously has a better record even with their previous meetings.
Mexico played three games beat Australia by a lone goal; beat Chile 3-1 and lost to Spain 0-2. They scored 4 goals and conceded 3 with a clean slate. Nigeria was shocked by Poland 2-1; beat Puerto Rico 2-0 and hammered defending champions North Korea 3-1 which is a world upset. On current form Nigeria is a better scoring team and the Nigerian Defence is better too.
Mexico won a Silver in 2018, and Bronze at the last tournament in 2025 and also made quarterfinals twice in 2014 and 2016. Nigeria won Bronze in 2022 and made quarterfinals four times in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2024.
Nigeria now meets Venezuela in the 4th quarterfinal on Sunday at 7pm.
China versus France game was pulsating as both sides could not get a goal in the match. Midfielder Lisa Mabolon lost the match for France throwing her kick, the 5th and the game decider into the air. China won via 4-3 Penalty Shootouts.
China won the toss but Yuchen lost her kick while Yuxi, Yuke, Yang and Wendi scored. Unfortunately Mortyka who played brilliantly for France in the tournament lost the 1st kick.
Both sides have never met in any game. China will meet Brazil in the 3rd quarterfinals at 7pm on Sunday same time Nigeria will meet Venezuela.
Two other round of 16 games will be played at 7pm tonight. Japan will play high tech game against Kenya and then the game regarded as final before final Spain versus USA.
Ghana is on standby for the winner of the Japan versus Kenya game; defending champions North Korea is also on standby for the winner of Spain versus USA match.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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