Duke women’s soccer forward, Mary Long, expressed confidence in the USA U-17 Women’s National Team’s abilities ahead of their showdown with Nigeria’s Flamingos in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup quarterfinals at Estadio Cibao FC, Santiago de los Caballeros, this Saturday.

Long acknowledged Nigeria’s high scoring record, as the Flamingos netted 25 goals across six African qualifiers, including significant victories over Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, and Liberia. In the tournament’s group stage, Nigeria added nine goals to their tally, ranking behind only Spain and North Korea for most goals scored. Flamingos midfielder Shakirat Moshood currently leads the tournament’s scoring with four goals in as many games.

Long remains optimistic, saying, “This is a super talented group of girls, and it’s been fun so far in the tournament. We continue to work hard and play well as a team. Nigeria is a good team and scored a lot of goals in this tournament, but I think we are ready if we stick to the game plan like we always do.”

The United States previously faced Nigeria in a U-17 World Cup quarterfinal, with the Flamingos advancing after a 1-1 draw and a penalty shootout. If Nigeria wins this match, they will meet either North Korea or Poland in the semifinals on October 30.