Olowookere: Flamingos Have Fixed Mistakes, Ready to Face France
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, are set to face a critical test against France today in Rabat, Morocco, following a disappointing 4-1 loss to Canada in their opening World Cup fixture.
Coach Bankole Olowookere has been working to rally his squad, insisting the team has fully recovered both mentally and physically from the shock defeat. "The camp is calm now, though the first day was tough," Olowookere said. “After the match, it wasn’t easy, but we managed to lift the girls... I can see they’re mentally ready again.”
The coach was upfront about the mistakes that cost them the last match, specifically mentioning defensive lapses late in the game. "We identified the problem — there was a crack on the bridge, and we’ve worked hard to fix it," he explained. He noted that the team’s “concentration dropped in the last 15 minutes against Canada, and we conceded cheap goals. We’ve worked on that, and I believe the girls will stay focused this time.”
With their tournament hopes hanging in the balance, a strong performance against a confident French side—who beat Samoa 4-2—is essential. Olowookere urged the nation to maintain their support and apologized for the opening-day performance. "We’re sorry to all our fans and promise to make them smile again after this game," he concluded, stressing that how the team responds is all that matters now.
The match is fixed for 5 p.m. today.
Enobong Ernest
Dailysports's expert
