Ghana, Venezuela, Brazil, North Korea reach U-17 Women's World Cup quarters; Nigeria faces Mexico today
Four teams booked quarterfinal spots at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco after Wednesday's Round of 16 fixtures. Ghana edged Argentina 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw, keeping West African hopes alive. Venezuela stunned Germany 1-0, North Korea crushed hosts Morocco 6-0, and Brazil survived a thriller, beating Poland 8-7 on penalties after a 3-3 draw.
Nigeria's Flamingoes now carry the continent's remaining chance. They face Mexico later today for a place in the last eight. Also today: China vs France and Spain vs USA. Match kickoff times were not specified in the report.
Ghana's penalty shootout win marks their first U-17 Women's World Cup quarterfinal appearance since 2016. They'll face either Brazil or Venezuela in the next round. For Nigeria, a win would put two African teams in the quarterfinals — a first for the tournament.
The Flamingoes topped Group C unbeaten, conceding just once. Mexico finished second in Group D. This is a winnable fixture on paper, but knockout football at this level is unpredictable.
Will the Flamingoes join Ghana in the quarters, or does Mexico's physical play end Nigeria's campaign today?