{
  "id": 19817120,
  "title": "Meet LASU student who assisted Flamingos’ World Cup-winning goal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/meet-lasu-student-who-assisted-flamingos-world-cup-winning-goal",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-13T14:26:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/meet-lasu-student-who-assisted-flamingos-world-cup-winning-goal/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At just 16 years old, Esther Stephen, a student at Lagos State University, played a pivotal role in helping Nigeria claim victory in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. As a defender for the Flamingos, Stephen delivered a crucial long pass that led to the winning goal in the 47th minute of the final match against Japan. This goal secured Nigeria's spot as the first African country to win the prestigious tournament, held in Rabat, Morocco. Stephen, who is pursuing a Diploma 2 degree in Human Kinetics, Sports and Health Education at LASU, played a key role in Nigeria's 2-1 win, contributing to a historic campaign that included goals from Awawu Bashiru and Umejiaku. Her impressive performances in all seven of the Flamingos' matches earned her praise from the university's Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ayodeji Badejo, who described her discipline, versatility, and dedication as a source of pride for the institution.",
  "summary": "Esther Stephen, a 16-year-old Lagos State University student, provided the assist for the winning goal in the Flamingos’ 2-1 victory over Japan. Read More: https://punchng.com/meet-lasu-student-who-assisted-flamingos-world-cup-winning-goal/",
  "key_points": [
    "Esther Stephen, 16, Nigerian student, helped Nigeria win 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup",
    "Long pass to Awawu Bashiru led to winning goal in 47th minute of final match against Japan",
    "Stephen’s performances earned praise from LASU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ayodeji Badejo"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}