Falconets Book U-20 World Cup Spot After Senegal Victory
Nigeria’s national under-20 women’s football team, the Falconets, booked its place at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica after a 4-1 victory against Senegal at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, on Saturday.
The Falconets won the first leg tie 3-1 at the Stade Lat-Dior in Thies two weeks ago, thereby progressing 7-2 on aggregate.
Flourish Sebastine, who scored a hat-trick during the first leg, put in another brilliant performance as she scored a brace in the 8th and 19th minute.
Elegant midfielder Esther Onyenezide made it three in the 25th minute for the Falconets after converting from the penalty kick spot.
However, the Young Lionesses of Teranga scored from the penalty kick spot as well, after one of their strikers was fouled in the box.
In the second half, the Falconets sat back comfortably and allowed it run their way, taking things easy and cutting off the few attacks from the visitors. Just before the final whistle by Eswatini referee Letticia Viana, Joy Jerry made it four for the two-time FIFA World Cup runners-up.
💃 Excited Falconets in dancing mood after securing Costa Rica 2022 ticket#NGASEN #U20FIFAWWCQ #SoarFalconets#Team9jaStrong pic.twitter.com/ImUg1maFt1
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) March 26, 2022
The result sends the Falconets straight to the World Cup finals holding from August 10-28 in Costa Rica.
Head Coach of the Falconets, Christopher Danjuma, expressed joy in the performance of the girls throughout the qualifying series.
“Nigerians should expect a good outing in Costa Rica. We have had a plan all along and that plan is what has taken us here,” Danjuma said at a post-match conference. “The technical crew will review the plan and make changes where necessary as we are going to a bigger stage.”
“I believe the goal of the under 18 and Under 20 team is to groom players for the National team. If you look at this team and the Flamingos, they are all home-based players or at least 90 per cent home-based players.”
“So we expect that at the End of the world cup, some players will join the Supper Falcons from this team so we can stop over depending on foreign-based players for our senior teams,” Danjuma added.
The @NGSuper_Falcons are through! 👏
Nigeria book their spot in the #U20WWC. ✈️🇳🇬#ItsTimeItsNow pic.twitter.com/Md4JtKsNzO
— #ItsTimeItsNow (@CAFwomen) March 26, 2022
Chidi Nwoke/NFF.
