Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets, have earned a place at this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals after Opeyemi Ajakaye eventually brought down hard-fighting Burundi in a final round, second leg encounter at the MKO Abiola National Stadium on Saturday evening.
Recall that the Falconets had won the first leg 1-0 in Dar es Salaam six days ago with forward, Janet Akekoromowei netting the only goal of the first-leg encounter from the penalty spot.
As was the case in the first leg in Dar es Salaam, the Nigerian girls created opportunity after opportunity but failed to put them away to make their vast superiority count. As early as the 2nd minute, Opeyemi Ajakaye, who was the top scorer for the FIFA U17 World Cup bronze-winning Flamingos two years ago, volleyed wide when it appeared easier to score.
However, the deadlock was broken in the 78th minute by Ajakaye, who made hay with an assist by Akekoromowei.
The Falconets advanced to this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals, which will be staged in Colombia, 31st August – 22nd September.
Nigeria has been an ever-present at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup since it was launched as an U19 tournament in Canada 22 years ago, featuring at the World Cup in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024, and finishing as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, and reaching the semi-finals in Japan in 2012.
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