France U-17 Women’s head coach, Mickael Ferreira, has praised the Nigerian Flamingos for their determination and teamwork despite his team’s narrow 1-0 victory in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup group stage match on Wednesday night.

The French team, known as Les Bluettes, secured their qualification to the knockout stage after Maissa Fathallah scored the only goal of the match in the 81st minute. It was a tightly contested encounter, with both teams showing strong defensive organization and high intensity throughout the game.

Speaking after the match, Ferreira admitted that his team had expected a difficult battle against Nigeria. “We knew it was going to be a tough match. This Nigerian team is very committed, very united, very brave,” he told FIFA.com. He commended the Flamingos for their fighting spirit and disciplined approach despite the loss.

The Nigerian girls, led by Coach Bankole Olowookere, showed flashes of brilliance and created several scoring chances but were unable to convert. The defeat leaves them in a must-win situation in their final group game against Samoa, which will determine their qualification hopes.

With France now through to the next round, all eyes are on Nigeria’s last group fixture. A convincing win over Samoa could still keep the Flamingos’ dream of progressing in the tournament alive.