Nigeria’s U17 women’s team, the Flamingos, suffered their second straight defeat at the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, falling 1–0 to France on Wednesday.

Coach Bankole Olowookere made one change from the side that lost 4–1 to Canada, handing Fatimoh Shuaib a start in place of Nofisat Tijani.

The contest was evenly matched, with both teams creating promising chances. Nigeria threatened early through Shakirat Moshood and Chisom Nwachukwu, who both forced fine saves from French goalkeeper Lauryne Chevray, but the Flamingos failed to make their pressure count.

France eventually broke the deadlock when Maïssa Fathallah slotted home after a clever setup from Luna Laboucarie. Despite late pushes from Oduntan, Moshood, and Nwachukwu, Nigeria couldn’t find a way back into the game.

Olowookere introduced fresh legs in the second half, Mariam Yahaya for Abubakar, Zainab Raji for Olanrewaju, and Nguemo Terlumun for Raji, but the French defence held firm to seal all three points.

The result leaves the Flamingos still without a point in Group D the first time in the team’s World Cup history that they’ve gone two group matches without a single point. The closest they came to such a start was in 2016, when they earned one point from their first two games and finished the group stage with that tally.

Currently sitting third, Nigeria now faces a must-win final group match against Samoa. Victory is essential if they are to keep their faint hopes of advancing to the Round of 16 alive as one of the best third-placed teams.