The Nigeria team on Wednesday at the ongoing 10th FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica advanced to the quarter-finals in grand style.
The Falconets qualified by setting a World Cup group stage-perfect record for themselves after beating Canada 3-1 in Alajuela.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the feat enabled them to finish with a perfect nine points out of nine in Group C.
In spite of hard-fought victories over France and the Korean Republic, the Nigerian side were favourites to win the match even though they had already secured a final eight place.
They did concede their first goal of the competition in the match, but they never looked back after drawing level thereafter.
Goalkeeper Omini Oyono’s poor management of a backpass from Jumoke Alani granted Kala Novak a fortuitous goal in less than two minutes after kick-off.
“It was great for us to come back from that setback, and also conceding first in the tournament.
But we showed character and spirit after that, and that would be huge for us going forward in the competition,” team head coach Christopher Danjuma said after the match.
Esther Onyenezide, whose vicious curling shot earned all three points against the Korea Republic late on, to send the Falconets into the last eight Sunday, soon drew them level.
She scored from the penalty kick spot in the 24th minute after Canadian defender Mia Pante had handled the ball from a Blessing Okpe shot in the penalty box.
The Falconets did look composed and surefooted in the middle with the return of Deborah Abiodun, who sat out the encounter with the Koreans.
