National Teams
2024 U-17 WWC: Flamingos coach Olowookere explains ruthless second half display
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team head coach, Bankole Olowookere, praised his halftime pep talk for playing a pivotal role in his team’s 4-0 victory over Ecuador on Saturday.
Despite a rough first half with a 1-0 lead, the Flamingos came out strong in the second half, scoring three goals to seal a comprehensive win in their second Group A match.
Shakira Moshood opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 28th minute with a well-taken penalty, but it was Olowookere’s tactical approach at the break that truly turned the game in their favor.
“They are kids. Sometimes there are reasons for them to have this anxiety and I just had to calm them down,” Olowookere explained after the match.
“We have training and a game plan. I asked them to go by the game plan. At a time, the goal would come, and they yielded and listened. They followed the game plan and the goals were just coming in.”
The coach, who led Nigeria to a bronze medal at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, was pleased with how his players executed his instructions in the second half.
“I feel great. Thanks and glory be to God, who made this possible for us. After our training and tactical approach to the game, we were able to get this convincing win,” he said.
Olowookere also commended his players for sticking to the game plan and maintaining tactical discipline. “All thanks to my players who approached the game tactically, and we got the needed results,” he added.
The victory secured Nigeria’s place in the quarter-finals, with six points from their two Group A matches. Looking ahead, the Flamingos will face the host nation, the Dominican Republic, in their final group match, which is now a dead rubber since they have already advanced.
In his closing remarks, Olowookere expressed gratitude to the Nigerian fans for their unwavering support and promised to continue delivering strong performances.
“I want to thank Nigerians and appreciate them for their support. They should keep supporting us. This victory will not be in vain,” he continued.
“Anytime they are watching us, we are ready to give them joy and make them proud of us, and that is what we have done. It is a promise that we gave them before leaving Nigeria, and we are fulfilling the promise,” he concluded.
The Flamingos now look ahead to their final group fixture with confidence as they aim to continue their impressive campaign at the tournament.