Nigeria‘s Flamingos  last night reached their first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final after three second-half goals gave them a 3-1 semi-final win over Brazil in Rabat.

They will meet Japan in the decider, after the Japanese stunned two-time defending champions DPR Korea on penalties earlier in the day.

Queen Joseph opened the scoring  for Nigeria in the 56^th  minute, and Awawu Bashiru, named Player of the Match, added two more in the 71^st  and 80^th  at Mohammed VI Football Complex’s Pitch 3. Greise Kelly pulled one back for Brazil in the 89^th  minute.

Akeem Busari’s side dominated from start to finish. Joseph, Mary Dunstan and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi all came close in a first half in which the Brazil goal led a charmed life.

The pressure only increased after the break. Adegbuyi cut in from the right and scuffed a shot into the path of Joseph, who side-footed home. Bashiru doubled the lead when her cross flew over everyone, including goalkeeper Nathy, and nestled in the bottom corner. Her second was all quality: a flowing Nigerian move found the No. 11, who side-stepped a defender and poked the ball into the bottom corner.

Kelly’s late header was too little, too late for last year’s fourth-placed side.

Meanwhile,  Japan returned to the final for the first time since 2016 in dramatic fashion at Pitch 2.

DPR Korea, aiming for a third successive final, dominated and led through Ri Ui-gyong’s half-volley in the 52nd minute. Japan equalised in the fifth minute of injury time, when Won Sol-gyong put the ball into her own net under pressure. Officials awarded the goal following a lengthy VAR review for a potential handball by a Japan attacker.

Japan were perfect in the shootout. Eh Chong-gum’s effort was saved by Kou Kadowaki, Kim Ju-gyong hit the post, and Asuka Tanaka converted the winning kick. Mashiro Yamaji was Player of the Match.

“The players never gave up and continued to play well until the very end,” Japan coach Sadayoshi Shirai said. “It wasn’t just the 11 players on the pitch. Everyone, including the players on the bench and all the coaching staff, kept fighting until the very end.”