Nigeria's Flamingos have won the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, beating Japan 2-1 in Saturday's final in Rabat to become the first African nation ever to lift the trophy.

Awawu Bashiru gave Nigeria the lead in the 39th minute, capitalising on an error by Japan goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki, and Oluebube Umejiaku doubled the advantage two minutes into the second half. Japan pulled one back through Fuki Ito in the 80th minute, but the Flamingos held on at the Mohammed VI Football Complex to claim a historic victory.

Umejiaku, who scored the decisive second goal, was named player of the match. The win gave Nigeria its first title in the competition and its first FIFA world title in women's football at any level.

The triumph capped a remarkable campaign for the team coached by Hakeem Busari. Nigeria lost their opening match 2-1 to Poland but recovered to win five matches in a row, including a 3-1 group-stage victory over defending champions North Korea and a 3-1 semi-final win against Brazil.

Japan, playing in their fourth final and chasing a second title after winning in 2014, had reached the decider by beating Ghana 1-0 in the quarter-finals and overcoming North Korea on penalties in the semi-finals. But they could not find a second goal against a determined Nigerian side in the closing minutes.

Victory also made Nigeria the first African country to hold under-17 titles in both the men's and women's competitions, after five titles won by the Golden Eaglets at men's level. For a continent that had never before reached the final of this tournament, the Flamingos' win in Rabat marks a landmark moment in African football.

[Source: fifa.com](https://www.fifa.com/en/articles/rabat-japan-nigeria-report) | [Source: businessday.ng](https://businessday.ng/sports/article/nigerias-flamingos-win-historic-fifa-u-17-womens-world-cup/?amp)