Nigeria’s Under 20 football team, the Falconets, on Saturday defeated Burundi 1-0 to qualify for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The match played at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja saw both teams playing defensive game in the first half.
In the quarter-hour, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu swung the ball into the visitors’ box from the wing, but Falconets leading scorer Janet Akekoromowei failed to convert the opportunity.
It was Okwuchukwu’s turn to miss in the 34th minute, when she could not convert a pull-out by Opeyemi Ajakaye.
The two teams fought hard but were unable to utilise their scoring chances in the first half.
However, Ajakaye made hay with an assist by Akekoromowei in the 79th minute when she banged in the only goal of the match.
What would have been the second goal for the Falconets scored by Ajakaye in the 90th minute was disallowed by the referee.
The result put Nigeria through to the finals of the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup slated to hold in Colombia from Aug. 31 to Sept. 22.
Nigeria has been ever-present at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, since it was launched as an U-19 tournament in Canada 2002.
Nigeria finished as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, and reached the semi-finals in Japan in 2012.
