A valuable experience - Nigeria's U-17 coach speaks ahead of Italy game

Nigeria's U-17 women's team head coach, Bankole Olowookere, is looking forward to the challenge of facing Italy in the Round of 16 at the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

The Flamingos secured their place in the knockout stage following a decisive 4-0 victory against Samoa on Saturday. Their performance was strong enough to see them advance as one of the best third-placed teams from the group stage.

Their next opponents, Italy, enter the match as firm favourites after an impressive group campaign where they won all three of their games.

Despite Italy's formidable record, Olowookere believes that facing a top-tier opponent will be a valuable experience for his squad.

In a statement to FIFA.com, the coach embraced the upcoming fixture. "It’s good that we have strong opposition to prepare us for the next game. We have to work on those areas where they were able to penetrate from our team," he said.