After an emphatic opening victory at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Flamingos captain Taiwo Afolabi is already looking ahead, dropping bold hints about even bigger things to come for her squad.
With an impressive performance and a Player of the Match award in hand, Afolabi is not just celebrating their win—she’s raising the bar for what’s next, footballrover reports.
In their opening match, the Flamingos secured a dominant 4-1 victory over New Zealand, kickstarting their World Cup journey on a high note.
Afolabi, who took charge of much of the play from midfield, delivered a standout performance, netting Nigeria’s fourth goal just ten minutes into the second half.
Her efforts earned her the Player of the Match award.
Shakirat Moshood, Khadijat Adegoke, and Faridat Abdulwahab also found the back of the net, completing a well-rounded team performance.
While New Zealand’s Hannah Saxon managed to score a consolation goal, but it did little to dampen the Flamingos’ momentum.
After the game, Afolabi praised her teammates for their strong display despite their inexperience on such a grand stage.
“It was a good game from the girls, because that was their first world cup apart from me, and they came out to play so well like that; it was a good one for me,” she said.
Addressing the single goal conceded, Afolabi admitted it was a defensive lapse but remained optimistic.
“Though mistakes are bound to happen, it was a mistake from the defence, and we’ll go back to our drawing board and work on our mistakes.”
Flamingos captain eyes future success after World Cup opener
When asked about her feelings on winning the Player of the Match award, Afolabi remained humble, directing praise to her teammate Adebayo Jumai, who assisted her goal.
“Well, I feel grateful; I feel good, all thanks to Adebayo Jumai for the assist.”
Afolabi also had a message for Nigerians following the team’s journey, urging them to keep supporting the Flamingos as they aim for greater success.
“Well, I want Nigerians to expect good football, great wins from the girls, and they should keep supporting us,” she stated.
The Story Behind the Flamingos’ Unique Celebration
While speaking on the team’s distinctive celebration routine, Afolabi revealed its significance, saying,
“We did that in India 2022, and we stood out among the whole country that participated in the competition, and now we just want to continue the trend, and as you can see, we are the only ones with such a celebration.”
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