Melisa Kekic netted the decisive goal in the 73rd minute, and Julia Amireh, another substitute, secured two additional goals as Canada triumphed over Nigeria 4-1 in their debut match at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Sale, Morocco. Kekic’s strike gave Canada a 2-1 advantage before Amireh found the back of the net in the 80th and 86th minutes. Gabriela Istocki initially put Canada in the lead in the second minute, but Queen Joseph equalized for Nigeria in the 30th minute.
Canada regained the lead when Chloe Taylor delivered a precise long pass, allowing Kekic to outmaneuver the Nigerian defense and score with a well-placed shot from the edge of the penalty area. Amireh capitalized on a loose ball in the Nigerian penalty box for her first goal, and then extended the lead by outmaneuvering a defender to connect with a pass from captain Olivia Chisholm.
Despite Nigeria outshooting Canada 17-10 (with an 8-5 advantage in shots on target) and earning four corners compared to Canada’s one, the Canadians secured the victory. Canada, under the guidance of coach Jen Herst, will face Samoa next on Wednesday, followed by a match against France on October 25. The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-place finishers, will progress to the Round of 16.
In the first half, Canada took the lead early on as Molly Hale set up Istocki for a simple finish in front of goal after a dynamic run into the Nigerian penalty box. Despite Canada’s early lead, Nigerian goalkeeper Khadijah Cisse faced more action than her Canadian counterpart as Nigeria dominated possession in the first half. Nigeria outshot Canada 13-2 (with a 6-1 shots on target advantage) in a half marked by both teams’ inefficiency with the ball.
Canada’s co-captain Emma Reda was sidelined due to injury just before the tournament, impacting the team’s lineup. Although Canada missed the 2024 FIFA U-17 tournament, they have a history of consistent participation in previous editions, with their best result being a fourth-place finish in 2018. The team qualified for the 2025 FIFA tournament by finishing atop their CONCACAF qualifying group.
Nigeria, a seasoned competitor in previous tournaments, has had notable successes, finishing third in 2022 and reaching the quarterfinals multiple times. The team qualified for the 2025 African U-17 Women’s World Cup by defeating South Africa and Algeria. North Korea and Spain have been prominent contenders in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, with North Korea clinching the title thrice and Spain making it to the final four times.
The match showcased Canada’s resilience and ability to capitalize on opportunities, setting a positive tone for their upcoming fixtures in the tournament.
