
Credit: BSNSports.com.ng
Nigeria’s U20 women’s football team, the Falconets, have successfully secured a spot in this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup after a remarkable performance against a determined Burundi side in the final round.
Opeyemi Ajakaye’s brace proved instrumental in securing a 3-0 aggregate victory for Nigeria at the MKO Abiola National Stadium on Saturday evening, following their 1-0 first-leg win in Dar es Salaam six days prior.
Similar to the first leg, the Falconets displayed dominance throughout the match, creating numerous scoring opportunities that showcased their superiority.
In the 2nd minute, Opeyemi Ajakaye, the top scorer for the FIFA U17 World Cup bronze-winning Flamingos two years ago, narrowly missed a volley that seemed easier to convert.
The trend continued as Chiamaka Okwuchukwu and Janet Akekoromowei missed chances in the quarter-hour and 34th minute, respectively.
In the 53rd minute, Ajakaye embarked on a solo run into the opponent’s eighteen-yard box, only to conclude with a weak shot easily collected by goalkeeper Amissa Inarukundo.
The breakthrough finally came in the 78th minute when Ajakaye capitalized on an assist from Akekoromowei, breaking the deadlock. Ajakaye sealed the victory with a second goal right at the final whistle, securing the Falconets’ place in the upcoming tournament in Colombia later this year.
Nigeria has maintained a consistent presence in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, participating since its inception as a U19 tournament in Canada 22 years ago. The team achieved runner-up status in 2010 and 2014, along with reaching the semi-finals in Japan in 2012.
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