Flamingos coach reveals factors behind FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup triumph
Nigeria U-17 women’s coach Hakim Busari attributed the Flamingos’ World Cup triumph to tactical discipline, good player management and learning from setbacks. He said he was delighted after leading the team to the title, speaking in Abuja on Tuesday.
Busari explained that he had expected the team to perform strongly, based on its preparations and results in qualifying: Nigeria beat Guinea 11-1 on aggregate, then won all its matches at the WAFU tournament.
He said the opening 2-1 defeat to Poland was a setback, but the coaching staff chose to encourage the young players and discuss their mistakes with them rather than scold them. He said the team learned from the experience and continued its campaign.
He added that the coaching staff studied Brazil’s formations, strengths and weaknesses ahead of the semifinal. He said Brazil used a 3-5-2 system, while Nigeria opted for 4-4-2 or 4-5-1, stressing the importance of the players following instructions and knowing when to attack and defend.
After overcoming Brazil in the semifinal, the Flamingos beat Japan 2-1 in the final, making Nigeria the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.