The Nigerian female Under-17 team, the Flamingoes, opened their campaign at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica with a narrow 2-1victory over China on Monday morning.
The Nigerian female Under-17 team, the Flamingoes, opened their campaign at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica with a narrow 2-1victory over China on Monday morning.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
In the match played at 12:00 am Nigerian time, the Nigerians soccer team dominated large swathes of the game and hit more than 20 shots at goal, but failed to triple the score line at the very minimum.
After team captain Chinwendu Ihezuo — the second highest-goal scorer at the reverse edition two years ago in Azerbaijan — fluffed a number of chances, 14-year-old Ajibade Rasheedat gave Nigeria the lead in the 21st minute, blasting in from close range. The Flamingoes continued their dominance but found no breakthrough before the half-time break.
The second half resumed in similar fashion, Nigeria remaining dominant but also falling short in final decision-making in and around the penalty zone.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });
Uchenna kanu added to the tally with a deft long-range header on 63 minutes, and raced to the corner flag to lead the girls in a few seconds of artistic local dance.
No sooner had the Nigerian girls finished dancing than the Chinese breached their hitherto resilient defence, Fan Yuqiu finishing off a well-worked attack by coolly slotting past goalkeeper Onyinyechukwu Okeke in the 64th minute.
Both sides struggled to find one more goal, the Chinese seeking to force a draw at least, and the Nigerians attempting to kill off the game. The score line, however, remained unchanged at the end of regulation time and a minute of added time.
The Flamingoes tackle Colombia next at 3am Nigerian time on Thursday, the Colombians gunning for an outright win, having suffered a 0-4 mauling at the hands of Mexico in the group opener earlier in the day.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });