Flamingos head coach Akeem Busari has urged his players to remain focused and maintain their determination after Nigeria’s impressive 3-1 victory over defending champions Korea DPR at the ongoing 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Busari said the victory was an important response to Nigeria’s opening 2-1 defeat to Poland, describing the result against Korea DPR as an opportunity for his players to prove their quality and regain confidence.

The coach admitted that the loss to Poland was unexpected, considering Nigeria’s impressive performances during the qualifiers and the WAFU-B tournament, where the team won all their matches.

“We agreed that Poland are not a team we need to lose to. Being the first game of the tournament, we were not really up there psychologically. This is a game that we have to prove our points,” Busari said.

“We had to frustrate them with our tactics, but they are quicker to the ball. We made use of numerical advantage in marking. We were six over their four. In terms of endurance, we covered the face of the ball. We didn't allow them to play. The lass really want to play. From this result, I think they will be able to come out of their shell.”

Busari explained that the Flamingos had to regroup and adjust their approach after the setback against Poland, stressing that resilience and self-belief were essential qualities for a team aspiring to win the tournament.

“We played four games in the qualifiers and won all. At WAFU-B we won all five matches. Poland was a shocker to us, but we just had to let it go and restrategise. These are the fight for the comeback,” he added.

The coach also addressed the officiating decisions during the tournament, insisting that his team must respect the referee’s authority while learning from mistakes made on the pitch.

“Referees are human beings. They can make mistakes. They are in charge. We just have to respect whatever comes out of it. We can't be champion without perseverance, self-belief. These are part of the characteristics of a good team,” Busari said.

He attributed some of the difficulties against Korea DPR to lapses in concentration and the physical demands of the encounter.

“It was a loss of concentration for the girls at that moment. Endurance and strength was really telling on our girls. We covered us for that in terms of marking. For the penalty that occurred, I think the girls were looking at the Assistant Referee 1 for her flag. The centre referee is in charge and took her decision. We learn from our mistakes and go,” he explained.

Looking ahead to the knockout stage, Busari stressed that the Flamingos must improve their performance and prepare thoroughly for the challenges ahead.

“All we need do now is to talk to the girls. It is not over. Going into the second round is another ball game. We are not there yet. We just need to keep our heads high. We train, look at our strong points, deficiencies, work on our tactics and pray for better luck so that we can push ahead in the competition,” he said.

The Nigerian coach described Group B as a demanding group, given the quality of the defending champions, but believes finishing second will help his players approach the next stage with greater determination and without complacency.

“It was a thorough group because we have the defending champion with high quality of play. For us to match them, we must deploy a tactic. Finishing second will raise the girls' morale and not allow complacency. They have to respect all teams they are going to meet. Equally, they should respect us too,” Busari stated.

“It is a knockout stage. A lot of things get involved. We have to play and get out of it.”

Nigeria will now turn their attention to the Round of 16, with Busari hoping his team can build on the victory over Korea DPR and continue their quest for glory in Morocco.