Football
It was certainly their best performance of the
tournament, but it happened that they left it too late, and Nigeria’s
Falconets’ 2-1 win over Spain on Sunday failed to take them past the group
stage of the 8th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals.
They needed to win and for Japan not to win in the
other Group B match, but the Asians steamrolled their Canadian opponents 5-0
just across the city in Port Moresby, meaning the Nigerian girls would be
heading home instead of heading into the quarter finals after wins over Canada
and Spain.
Spain, who walloped Canada 5-0 before defeating Japan
1-0, were ahead after only six minutes when Alba Redondo slotted past
goalkeeper Onyinye Okeke as the European vice champions swept into Nigeria’s
vital area.
However, Nigeria drew level six minutes later, Ihuoma
Onyebuchi cashing in on an opportunity in a goalmouth scramble from a corner
kick.
In the second half, substitute Yetunde Adeboyejo should
have scored when put through on goal by the intelligent Rasheedat Ajibade, but
she failed to measure her angle well.
Stand –in captain Chiwendu Ihezuo raced onto another
intelligent Ajibade pass and past two defenders to score the winner in the 72nd
minute.
Substitute Aminat Yakubu should have scored a third
goal for Nigeria, but failed with only the goalkeeper to beat, as the Nigerians
made life difficult for the Spaniards with long balls.
Six minutes to the end, Nigerian defender Glory Ogbonna
was sent off after a second bookable offence.
Although they finised with six points, same as Japan,
Nigeria had a deficit of three goals while the Japanese had 10 goals to their
advantage.
In the end, the Falconets would look back at their
opening match against the Japanese (in which they performed poorly and lost
0-6) and wish they had played the Asians the way they played the Canadians and
the Spaniards.
Nigerian forward Ihezuo was
selected as Live Your Goals Player of the Match.
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