Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigress will be aiming for their second group-stage win at the ongoing 2025 FIBA U-19 Women’s World Cup when they face Portugal in their final Group B game on Tuesday.
The team will be looking to bounce back from their heavy defeat to Canada and finish the group phase on a high note.
The Nigerian girls made history with a memorable opening win against China on Saturday but were handed a tough lesson by tournament favorites Canada in their second outing, falling 113-42.
A victory over Portugal would not only boost morale but also secure a more favorable matchup in the round of 16. With at least one win already, the Junior D’Tigress have avoided finishing bottom of the group, thus steering clear of a daunting clash with defending champions, the United States, in the next round.
More Read
If Nigeria defeats Portugal, they will finish second in Group B and face the third-placed team in Group A (either Israel or Hungary) in the knockout round. Even with a loss, they are still likely to meet either of those teams. Meanwhile, the US faces Israel, and Hungary plays South Korea in their final group games.
This tournament marks Nigeria’s debut at the U-19 World Cup, and they remain the continent’s sole representatives after Mali withdrew due to visa issues.
Portugal will come into Tuesday’s encounter with growing confidence after a 75-52 win over China in their second game, following an opening 88-49 loss to Canada.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
