Bankole demands improvement from Flamingos

Head coach Bankole Olowookere is delighted to guide the Flamingos to the knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The Flamingos secured their place in the knockout phase, following hard fought 2-1 victory over their Chilean counterparts at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar City, India on Monday.

Goals by Emmanuel Blessing and Bisola Mosaku from each half put the Africans in firm control, but the Chilean pulled one back late on to ensure a nervy ending to the game.

In an interview shortly after the match, Bankole stated that he is very happy the team made it to the quarter-finals in a game where a draw would have been enough for the Flamingos.

“I am happy we made it into the last eight, and that we sustained our winning mentality even though we only needed a draw to sail through,” he said.

The gaffer however wasn’t satisfied with the performance of the team in front of the goal, saying they lack composure to finish off chances.

“We missed a number of chances again, but I like the spirit of the team and we will get better as we go on in the competition,” coach Bankole added.

The Flamingos will now wait for the group A decider, with the USA or Brazil Nigeria’s potential opponent in Friday’s quarter-finals.