• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Nigeria Falconets edge out French ladies, secures maximum 3points

Falconets book quarter-finals ticket, beat Korea Republic 1-0

The Nigeria women’s national football team, the Falconets had a brilliant start to their campaign of the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women World Cup tournament hosted by Costa Rica early Friday morning by defeating France 1-0.

The Chris Danjuma-led team edged out their French opponents via a sublime 85 minutes goal from Sebastine Flourish, the 17-year lethal striker, whose great and timely run helped beat the offside trap to score the goal in style. Sabastine was also named the best player of the match for her wonderful displays in the game.

Before then the French team taught they had gotten the lead through a corner kick that was scrambled into the Nigerian net but was not to be as the VAR spotted an infringement on the goalkeeper and the goal was disallowed.

Read also: Meet Tobi Amusan, Nigeria’s shining star at World Athletic Championship

The highly intense match was earlier suspended after the first 20 minutes of the first half for more than 40 minutes due to severe unfriendly weather. There was a heavy downpour at the stadium and the players were finding it difficult to have a smooth running of the ball on the pitch, hence, the referee had to call off the match.

However, as the match resumed later, both teams showed quality and aggressiveness to win but the Falconets were a better side with a recognised level of robust display from the ladies on green and white striped jerseys.

With three points secured in their first match, the Falconets are set to face the Korea Republic on Sunday, August 14. The ladies from the Korea Republic are leading the group with three points and plus two goals after beating Canada 2-0, Nigeria is second with three points and plus one goal.

The two losing teams in the group, France and Canada will square it out to bounce back into contestations as winning from either will restore their hope of qualifying from the group.