Flamingos will make Nigeria proud — Olowookere

Flamingos head coach Bankole Olowookere has assured that his team will make Nigeria proud by achieving impressive results at the 2024 FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Flamingos have been in blistering form in the South American nation, winning their first two games, scoring eight goals, and conceding just one.

Olowokoore’s side began the tournament with an emphatic 4-1 win over New Zealand in the Group A opener at Cibao Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros and followed that up with another impressive 4-0 victory over Ecuador on Saturday.

The emphatic victories mean Nigeria, who sit top of Group A, have qualified for the quarter-final phase of the competition with a game to spare.

Nigeria came into the tournament with high expectations after their impressive third-place finish at the 2022 edition in India and Olowookere said the team would make their Nigeria proud.

“I will not change our messages to Nigerians but to thank and appreciate them for their support. They should keep supporting us and having kept these vigils it will not go in vain.

“Anytime they are watching us we will give them joy and we are going to make them proud. This is a promise that we made to them before we left Nigeria and we are fulfilling the promise to them for them to be proud of us.”

On their fine run of play, the coach added, “Tactically, we have been able to get convincing wins and I want to thank the players for adhering to the tactics.

“They are kids and sometimes they are filled with anxiety and I have to calm them down. During training, we have game plans and I always tell them to go by the game plans and assure them that the goals will come. They listen and follow the game plan and the goals are coming.”

Nigeria will hope to make it three wins from as many games and end the group stage with a 100 per cent record when they face the Dominican Republic in their final group game at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, Santo Domingo, on Wednesday.

The Flamingos finished third in the last edition in India and have participated in every edition of the competition since its inception in 2008, reaching the quarterfinals in 2010, 2012, and 2014.