The journey of Coach Bankole Olowookere and his under-17 team at the FIFA World Cup came to an abrupt end with a 2-0 loss to the USA in the quarterfinals at Estadio Cibao in Santiago de Los Caballeros.
The American team’s winning goal came at the end of the first half, when Kennedy Fuller converted a penalty awarded after Jocelyn Travers was fouled in the box. The USA increased their lead in the second half with a goal from Kimmi Ascanio, avenging their earlier loss to Nigeria in the 2022 edition.
This victory propels the USA into the semifinals for the first time since 2008, while Nigeria misses out on the chance to reach the semifinals for the second consecutive tournament.
In a post-match interview, Coach Olowookere praised the players for their efforts, emphasizing the potential for growth and improvement: “I’m incredibly proud of the girls – they’ve given it their all and made significant progress. While their best effort didn’t bring the desired result, I believe we can reach higher levels moving forward and strive to improve next time.”
Despite entering the match with an unblemished group stage record, Nigeria faced a strong challenge from the Americans. The second half was marked by opportunities for both teams, with Nigeria’s Taiwo Afolabi having a shot saved by Evan Osteen before the USA capitalized on Nigeria’s high defensive line, leading to Ascanio’s goal that sealed their victory.
The USA will now face Korea DPR in the semifinals at Estadio Cibao, aiming to advance further in the tournament.
