.svg.png){kind=logo}
Mexico U-17 women’s head coach Miguel Gamero has praised his team’s effort despite their 2-1 defeat to Nigeria’s Flamingos in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The loss brought Mexico’s campaign to an end, while Nigeria advanced to the quarter-finals.
Mexico started brightly but found it difficult to penetrate Nigeria’s disciplined defence as the Flamingos gradually took control of the encounter.
Nigeria broke the deadlock five minutes before the interval when Oluebube Umejiaku fired home from inside the box to score her third goal of the tournament.
The Flamingos maintained their momentum after the restart, applying sustained pressure and forcing the North Americans onto the back foot.
Their dominance yielded another goal in the 71st minute, with Mary Dunstan unleashing a powerful strike to double Nigeria’s lead and strengthen their grip on the contest.
Mexico fought back in the closing stages and reduced the deficit through Emily Delgado deep into stoppage time, setting up a tense finish.
However, Nigeria held firm to seal a 2-1 victory and secure their place in the last eight.
Gamero Hails Pleased With Players
Despite the disappointment, Gamero commended his players for their commitment and determination throughout the encounter, stressing the importance of using the experience as a stepping stone for their future development.
“I think we have to highlight the team’s commitment and the fact that the players kept fighting until the very end,” Gamero told FIFA.
” The most important thing is to learn and grow, helping them develop step by step as Mexican footballers so they can eventually progress to the senior national team.”
By Adeboye Amosu
