Brazil’s Rilany Silva expects a hard semi-final against a physical Nigeria side that lost its opener to Poland and then won four straight games in Morocco.
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Brazil coach Rilany Silva has admitted her side faces a difficult challenge against Nigeria’s Flamingos in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The two teams meet on Wednesday, November 4, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, with kick-off at 7:00pm Nigerian time. The winner reaches the final.
Silva Respects Nigeria’s Strength
Brazil arrive unbeaten, and they beat China 2-1 in their quarter final. Even so, Silva told FIFA that “Nigeria are a very physical team.” She added that the Flamingos will probably still be running hard at the 90th minute, so Brazil will need a very strategic plan to hurt them.
That is high praise from the coach of an unbeaten side. Brazil’s defensive duo have played more minutes than anyone else at the tournament, so Nigeria will have to work hard for their chances.
How The Flamingos Got Here
Nigeria’s tournament began badly with a 2-1 loss to Poland in the Group B opener on October 17. The Flamingos then won four games in a row, against Puerto Rico, Korea DPR, Mexico and Venezuela.
Oluwakemi Adegbuyi and Precious Oscar scored in the 2-0 win over Puerto Rico on October 20. Adegbuyi then opened the scoring after 15 minutes in the 3-1 win over defending champions Korea DPR on October 23, which put Nigeria in the knockout rounds. Poland, Nigeria and Korea DPR all finished level on six points, with Nigeria taking second place.
Adegbuyi, 16, is also nominated for CAF’s Women’s Young Player of the Year. Readers who follow Nigeria’s young stars can check the Bet9ja welcome bonus before the big match.
The knockout rounds have been tight. Oluebube Umejiaku and Mary Dunstan scored in a 2-1 win over Mexico on October 29, and captain Azeezat Oduntan converted an 89th-minute penalty to beat Venezuela 1-0 on November 1. Umejiaku, the team’s top scorer, won that penalty when she was fouled in the box.
Brazil, meanwhile, have shown plenty of attacking quality. The other semi-final pits Korea DPR against Japan, and for the first time in the tournament’s history no European side is in the last four.
Fans following the build-up can read about the latest Bet9ja promotion code ahead of kick-off.
Why Stamina Could Matter
Silva’s point about stamina fits a team that scored its winner against Venezuela in the 89th minute. If the semi-final is still level late on, the Flamingos will back themselves.
Nigeria are making a ninth appearance at the tournament, having qualified for nine of the ten editions. Coach Akeem Busari’s side also beat the reigning champions in the group stage, so the players know they can beat a heavyweight.
The tournament ends on November 7, and Nigeria are one win away from the final. Anyone new to betting can read about the Bet9ja sign-up bonus before the weekend.
📌 Did You Know?
- Korea DPR had won the U-17 Women’s World Cup four times, including the last two editions, before the Flamingos beat them 3-1.
- For the first time in the history of the tournament, no European country will feature in the semi-finals.
- Puerto Rico made their first appearance at any FIFA World Cup in Morocco, losing 6-0 to Korea DPR and 6-2 to Poland.
- The 2026 edition, the tenth, runs in Morocco from October 17 to November 7.
- Nigeria booked their place in Morocco after an 8-5 win over Benin in qualifying.
- Brazil’s defensive duo lead the playing-time charts at the tournament, with 519 minutes each.
