U17 Women’s World Cup: Bankole Olowookere relieved after Nigeria’s big win vs New Zealand

By Saheed Afolabi

Nigeria U17 head coach, Bankole Olowookere, is filled with confidence following his team’s dominant 4-1 victory over New Zealand in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.

Olowookere expressed his gratitude to Nigerians for their unwavering support, as the Flamingos secured a strong opening win in the competition. He also shared his optimism that this victory will serve as a stepping stone for greater success in the tournament.

“I just want to say thank you to all Nigerians, wherever they were able to watch the match against New Zealand,” Olowookere told Nigeriafootball.ng.

“That was our first game at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.The way the game started is a total relief and a huge confidence booster for us as a team and for all Nigerians following our journey. There’s nothing better than starting on a winning note and doing so convincingly. It’s a great morale boost from my side.”

Despite the big win, Olowookere cautioned his players not to get carried away. He acknowledged their hard work but emphasized that they must remain focused on their ultimate goal.

“We must stay grounded and not lose sight of why we’re here in the Dominican Republic. This is just the beginning of our journey, and while the performance was encouraging, we’re not there yet. It’s our first game and our first World Cup, so it’s about taking things step by step,” he explained.

He praised the team for their discipline in executing his game plan, which was centered around an attacking approach. “The performance was encouraging. The players gave their best on the pitch, and the 4-1 win against New Zealand is exactly what we had planned for. We are an attacking-minded team, and we want to score as many goals as possible,” he added.

Olowookere highlighted a key moment in the match when the New Zealand team became defensive, but the Flamingos were able to draw them out and capitalize on the opportunity to score more goals.

“I commend the players for adhering to my tactical instructions. There was a time New Zealand tried to sit back, but we drew them out, and when they came forward, we capitalized on that and scored more goals.”

Nigeria’s Flamingos will next face Ecuador on Saturday, October 19, in their second group game.

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