Falconets celebrating victory against Canada U-20 Women
FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Falconets beat Canada 3-1, to face The Netherlands in Q/F
Nigeria’s female U-20 national football team, the Falconets, Wednesday night (Thursday morning, Nigerian time) cruised into the quarter finals of the ongoing FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, after beating Canada by 3-1.
The match played at the Estadio Alejandro Morera stadium, in Alajuela, saw the Falconets survive an early minute goalkeeping howler after Falconets’ shot stopper, Monle Oyono misplaced a pass to her teammate to hand Canadian striker, Kalia Novak with a rebounded pass into her own net in less than 2 minutes into the first half.
However, two penalty goals from Esther Onyenezide and another by Chioma Olise deep into stoppage time in the 91st minute, secured the maximum 9 points from 9 for the Falconets into the quarter final phase as they are now set to meet The Netherlands who had in their last group mach defeated Ghana by 4-1.
Falconets topped Group C with all 9 points.
Also Onyenezide bagged a Player of the Match award in the encounter, the second in the competition so far with three goals in three matches.
France finished second with six points, while South Korea came third with three points. Canada ended their campaign pointless from three matches.
The Falconets coached by Chris Danjuma, had last, Sunday night, defeated their South Korean counterparts by a 1-0 to qualify straight for the quarter finals of the 2022 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica with one match to spare.
The Falconets with six points have already reached the quarter finals of the 10th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals having already beaten defending champions, France in the opening Group C game.
The match played, Sunday night, at the Estadio Alejandro Morera stadium, in Alajuela, Costa Rica, was the second for the Falconets in the Group C after France in the opening game, earlier Friday morning.
Esther Onyenezide’s long range strike from about 30 yards in the 83rd minute ensured the Falconets 1-0 victory against South Korea, with 6 points.
South Korea had earlier on Sunday defeated Canada 2-0 in their opening match while the Falconets started their tournament with a 1-0 win against European champions France.
Earlier, Falconets beat France with an 82nd minute goal scored by the number 9, Flourish Sebastine to claim all three points in the crucial tie against the competition’s defending champions.
The French team did get a goal ruled out after the VAR adjudged a foul on the Falconets’ goalkeeper in the build-up.
