Melisa Kekic secured a crucial goal in the 73rd minute, followed by two additional goals from substitute Julia Amireh, propelling Canada to a commanding 4-1 victory over Nigeria in their first match at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Sale, Morocco. Canada took the lead early through Gabriela Istocki’s goal in the second minute. Nigeria equalized with a goal from Queen Joseph in the 30th minute. Canada regained the lead when Melisa Kekic scored after a precise pass from Chloe Taylor. Julia Amireh extended Canada’s lead by capitalizing on a defensive error by Nigeria’s goalkeeper.
Despite Nigeria’s dominance in the first half, Canada managed to hold on to their lead. Nigeria outshot Canada 17-10 and had more corners, but Canada’s clinical finishing made the difference. The match saw Canada’s Molly Hale setting up Istocki for an early goal, while Nigeria’s Kaosarat Olanrewaju equalized with a close-range finish. The game also featured a video review for a potential penalty for Canada, which was ultimately waved off.
Canada suffered a setback before the tournament with the injury of co-captain Emma Reda. The team missed out on the 2024 FIFA U-17 tournament but has a strong history in previous editions. Led by interim coach Gary Moody, Canada qualified for the 2025 FIFA tournament by winning its CONCACAF qualifying group. Nigeria, a perennial contender in the tournament, secured its spot by winning the 2025 African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
Canada, under coach Jen Herst, will face Samoa next before taking on France in the upcoming matches. The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-place finishers, will advance to the Round of 16 in the competition.