Venezuela U17 Women 3-2 Zambia U17 Women — Venezuela U17 Women edged Zambia U17 Women 3-2 in a five-goal FIFA U17 Women's World Cup group-stage thriller on October 22, 2026, with a late strike settling a contest that had swung both ways. Venezuela's attacking ambition was rewarded in the closing stages, while Zambia left with credit after twice fighting back.

Match overview

Venezuela U17 Women began the brighter of the two sides, pressing high and forcing Zambia U17 Women into early turnovers. The opening goal arrived when Valentina Pérez found space between the centre-backs and finished calmly. Zambia responded well, growing into the game as their midfield began to link with the front line, and they levelled through Chileshe Mwape after a quick transition.

The second half opened up considerably. Venezuela regained the lead when Camila Rodríguez struck from the edge of the area, but Zambia again refused to fold and equalised through Natasha Banda with a little over ten minutes remaining. Just as the match appeared to be heading for a draw, Venezuela's pressure told and Pérez grabbed her second of the night to seal a 3-2 victory.

Key moments

• 12th minute: Valentina Pérez gave Venezuela U17 Women the lead with a composed finish after a high turnover.
• 28th minute: Zambia U17 Women equalised through Chileshe Mwape, who finished off a fast counter-attack.
• 54th minute: Camila Rodríguez restored Venezuela's advantage with a low strike from outside the box.
• 76th minute: Natasha Banda made it 2-2 for Zambia, converting after sustained pressure.
• 88th minute: Pérez struck again, reacting quickest inside the area to secure the three points for Venezuela.

Tactical story

Venezuela's approach was built on aggressive pressing and quick combinations in the final third. Their midfield pushed high to support the forwards, which created chances but also left space for Zambia to counter. Zambia U17 Women were at their best when they broke quickly through the wide areas, and their two goals came from exactly that kind of direct, purposeful play.

The decisive difference was Venezuela's ability to sustain pressure late on. As Zambia's defensive line dropped deeper, Venezuela kept recycling possession and committing numbers forward. The winning goal came from a second-ball situation, a fitting reward for a side that kept pushing rather than settling for a point.

Standout players

Valentina Pérez was the headline performer for Venezuela U17 Women, scoring twice and leading the line with energy and movement. Camila Rodríguez also impressed with her link play and the quality of her go-ahead goal. For Zambia, Chileshe Mwape and Natasha Banda were constant threats on the break, while the goalkeeper made several important stops to keep the scoreline close.

What the result means

The win gives Venezuela U17 Women three valuable points in the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup group standings and boosts their chances of progressing. For Zambia U17 Women, the defeat is a narrow one, but it leaves little margin for error in their remaining group fixtures. Both teams showed enough attacking quality to suggest they will be competitive in the tournament.