Nigeria’s Flamingos goalkeeper Jane Ijirigho has declared that the team are determined to continue their journey at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, insisting that reaching the final remains their ambition as they prepare to face Venezuela in the quarter-finals.

Ijirigho expressed confidence in the team’s mentality following Nigeria’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mexico in Thursday’s Round of 16 encounter in Morocco, a result that secured their place among the tournament’s last eight.

The young goalkeeper said the players approached the knockout fixture with a collective determination to avoid elimination and ensure their World Cup campaign continued.

“I am feeling good and very excited. Our mindset was that we are not ready to go home yet. We want to stay till the final,” Ijirigho told SavidNews.com.

The Nasarawa Amazons star also praised her teammates for their commitment and unity, crediting their shared determination for Nigeria’s progress into the quarter-finals.

“I really want to thank and appreciate the girls. They all came out with one mindset that we are not going home and actually did it,” she added.

The Flamingos will now face Venezuela, who booked their quarter-final place after eliminating Germany, in what promises to be another demanding test for the Nigerian youngsters.

Ijirigho acknowledged the quality of their next opponents, warning that Nigeria must produce an even stronger performance to secure a place in the semi-finals.

“You guys should expect more of this because no opponent is a pushover. They are also a strong side. Definitely, we have to come out stronger,” she said.

The goalkeeper has been one of Nigeria’s important performers in Morocco, producing crucial interventions during the competition, including against Mexico.

She denied Mexico captain Citlalli Reyes early in the Round of 16 encounter before making another impressive save to turn Kemberly Garcia’s long-range effort onto the crossbar.

Her interventions helped Nigeria protect their advantage as Oluebube Umejiaku and Mary Dunstan scored to give the Flamingos a two-goal cushion before Mexico pulled one back late in the contest.

Nigeria eventually held on for the 2-1 victory, extending their impressive campaign and moving a step closer to another appearance in the tournament’s semi-finals.

The Flamingos finished third at the 2022 edition in India, their best performance at the competition. They will be looking to reach the last four again as they pursue a historic run in Morocco.