Falconets Land In World Cup After Dismantling South Africa

ISRAEL TAIWO 

A brace each from Gift Monday, Rasheedat Ajibade and Anam Imo earned Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets a 6-0 win over South Africa’s Basetsana on Saturday and a place at the 9^th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.

The visitors famously launched into war songs on arrival in Nigeria during the week, pledging to cancel the two –goal deficit inflicted on them in Polokwane in the first leg. But Gift Monday opened the floodgates as early as the 5^th minute and the Basetsana never found a way into the game.

Rasheedat Ajibade and Anam Imo got the goals in the first leg in Polokwane, and it was typical Ajibade who doubled Nigeria’s lead in the 21^st minute before Imo made it 3-0 only five minute later.

Ajibade made it four in the 32^nd minute, and Monday got her brace seven minutes later as Basetsana crumbled to a 0-5 situation before half time.

Imo got her own brace in the 73^rd minute to wrap up the evening, two minutes after Monday was expelled for a second bookable offence after a foul on a South African opponent.

Victory ensured Nigeria maintained her record of qualifying for every edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, since it was launched as an U19 competition in Canada 16 years ago.

The 9^th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals will hold in France 7^th – 26^th August 2018