By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, kicked off their FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Korea Republic on Monday.
The decisive goal came in the 86th minute, courtesy of a brilliant strike from forward Flourish Sabastine.
The Falconets, bolstered by the experience of players like Rofiat Imuran, Jumoke Alani, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, Flourish Sabastine and Adoo Yina from the previous World Cup, dominated the second half after a relatively quiet first period.
Korea Republic controlled much of the early action, creating several chances but failing to capitalize due to the impressive defensive efforts of Shukura Oladipo.
The Falconets struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, hampered by a lack of cohesion in midfield.
However, they improved significantly in the second half, with Amina Bello showcasing her attacking prowess and Mary Nkpa creating opportunities down the wings.
The introduction of Goodness Osigwe and Okwuchukwu provided a much-needed spark to the Falconets’ attack, ultimately leading to Sabastine’s winning goal.
With this victory, Nigeria secured their first three points of the tournament and will face Germany in their next match on Wednesday, September 4th.
