Nigeria crashed out of the 2025 Fifa U17 World Cup following a 3-0 defeat to Italy on Tuesday night.
The Flamingos held their own for most of the first half but conceded shortly before the break when Copelli Anna long-range strike beat goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu.
Nigeria began the second half brightly and thought they had drawn level when Terlumun Nguemo found the back of the net.
However, the goal was overturned following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
Italy capitalized on Nigeria’s loss of momentum, scoring two quick goals through Giulia Robino and Caterina Venturelli to increase the lead.
Rachele Giudici sealed the victory with a late goal in the closing minutes of the match.
Here are five key observations from the match.
Echefu error cost Flamingos
Flamingos goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu will be disappointed with her performance after conceding two avoidable goals in the defeat.
She should have done better to stop Copelli Anna opening strike but allowed the ball to slip under her hands, a moment she will certainly want to forget.
Echefu was also at fault for the second goal, as she could have positioned herself better to prevent the effort from finding the net.
VAR denies Nigeria’s equalizer
Nigeria thought they had drawn level early in the second half when Terlumun Nguemo slotted home a cutback from Queen Joseph, who had dispossessed the goalkeeper.
However, after a VAR review, the goal was disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper, and a free kick was awarded to the Europeans instead.
Falcons crumbled after disallowed goal
The Flamingos had a goal disallowed early in the second half and lost their composure afterward.
Nigeria lost focus after their second-half equalizer was overturned following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
Nigeria lost momentum and conceded twice within five minutes, allowing Italy to increase the tally to 3-0.
Nigeria missed chances in second-half
The Flamingos will be disappointed after failing to find the back of the net throughout the match.
Nigeria regained possession in promising areas during the second half but couldn’t apply the finishing touch to reduce the deficit.
They created several good opportunities after the break, but poor composure in front of goal cost them a deserved consolation.
Giulia Robino shines for Italy
Robino delivered an outstanding performance in Italy’s victory over Nigeria.
She showcased her quality by creating several chances and capped off her display with a well-taken goal to double Italy’s lead in the second half.
