Nigeria’s Flamingos have turned their attention to Friday’s decisive Group B clash against North Korea at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco after boosting their qualification hopes with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Head coach Busari Hakeem Ishola confirmed that the team had started preparations for the encounter following Tuesday’s victory at Pitch 4 of the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat.
Speaking from the team’s camp on Wednesday, Ishola disclosed that the players had completed their recovery programme and held a meeting to assess their performance against Puerto Rico.
The coach added that the Flamingos would conclude their preparations with a final training session on Thursday as they work on their tactics for the meeting with the defending champions.
North Korea have emerged as the team to beat in Group B after winning their opening two matches convincingly. They began with a 6-0 demolition of Puerto Rico before recording an emphatic 6-1 victory over Poland on Tuesday.
The Asian side have collected six points and scored 12 goals, putting them firmly at the top of the group standings.
Nigeria, meanwhile, sit second with three points and a goal difference of plus one. Poland also have three points but are behind the Flamingos on goal difference, while Puerto Rico remain without a point.
The standings leave Nigeria facing a difficult challenge against a North Korean side that has demonstrated considerable attacking strength in its opening fixtures.
A draw would take the Flamingos to four points and improve their chances of reaching the knockout stage, although the outcome of the other group match and the applicable qualification criteria could also affect their final position.
North Korea’s impressive start is supported by their strong record in the competition. They have reached the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final eight times and won a record four titles in 2008, 2016, 2024 and 2025.
Despite the quality and experience of their opponents, Ishola will be looking to ensure his players remain focused on their own game plan rather than being intimidated by the defending champions’ reputation.
The coaching crew is expected to work on the team’s defensive organisation, tactical discipline and ability to deal with North Korea’s attacking threat ahead of Friday’s encounter.
With qualification for the next round still to be decided, the Flamingos will hope to build on their victory over Puerto Rico and produce another strong performance against one of the tournament’s leading sides.