Puerto Rico head coach Andres Mirabelli says his side’s slow start contributed to their 2-0 defeat by Nigeria’s Flamingos at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The result leaves Puerto Rico without a point after two Group? matches, following their 6-0 loss to defending champions DPR Korea in their opening game.
Nigeria took the lead through Oluwakemi Adegbuyi in the first half before Precious Oscar secured all three points with a goal in injury time.
Mirabelli admitted his team had been below their best before the interval and said they had again struggled to make an impact early in the game.
“I’m not happy with how we played in the first half. Once again, we wasted time, just like in the last match,” he told FIFA.
The Puerto Rico coach said the demands of playing at a World Cup, together with the difference in quality between the teams, had made the tournament particularly difficult for his players.
“It’s a shame because the pressure of the World Cup and the difference in level are hurting us,” he added.
Mirabelli felt Puerto Rico improved after the break, but said their second-half performance was not enough to earn a result.
“We played a good second half again, but it wasn’t enough to get at least one point,” he said.
The defeat was Puerto Rico’s second in succession at the tournament, while Nigeria’s victory ended their wait for a win after their campaign began with defeat to DPR Korea.