Top sharp shooters slug it out as Flamingos battle USA for World Cup semis ticket

It will be a slug out between the top two leading scorers at the FIFA U17 World Cup when the Flamingos take on USA for a place in the semifinal of the tournament tonight.

Shakirat Moshood! 🔥💯 pic.twitter.com/EGiFE9br0F

— Son of Teacher (@nnaezema) October 24, 2024

Flamingos forward Shakirat Moshood leads the goals race at the World Cup with four goals and two assists, while Mel Barcenas of the USA has so far scored three goals to joint second top scorer with Rim Jong Choe from North Korea.

Shakirat Moshood, 16, has been an absolute sensation at this World Cup.

The Bayelsa Queens star fired the fastest goal of this tournament after two minutes, when she got on the scoresheet after a minute against New Zealand in an opening Group A.

Shakirat was then the late match winner for Nigeria in a final group game against hosts Dominican Republic in front of a record crowd.

It was left-footed stunner from distance that finally beat the outstanding goalkeeper of the host nation.

Shakirat Moshood and the Flamingos will tonight come face-to-face with the shooting boots of midfielder Mel Barcenas, whose goals helped the US make their way to the last-eight as well.

‘MelB’ is a 16-old star in the making, who is already featuring in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) for hometown club San Diego Wave FC.

In March 2023, she became the youngest-ever player signed by the professional league at 15 years and 138 days.

She scored her first goal against Spain in a Group B, before notching a race in a final group game versus South Korea.

Could she now be the tie breaker between the Flamingos and USA after both teams needed a penalty shootout two years ago in India to determine who moved on to the semifinal of the U17 World Cup?

Melanie Barcenas: 15 years old and allllll the moves pic.twitter.com/4wuHiV4yOL

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2023