September 02, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s U-20 Women’s national team, the Falconets, began their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over South Korea on Monday morning, at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota, Colombia.
The match proved to be tightly contested, with both teams struggling to generate clear scoring opportunities. The decisive moment of the match occurred in the 88th minute when Flourish Sabastine scored for the Nigerian ladies.
Her shot struck the upright before rolling into the net, clinching all three points for Nigeria and enhancing their chances of moving on to the Round of 16. Sabastine’s goal was the culmination of Nigeria’s relentless efforts in the dying moments of the match.
The first half was marked by limited chances, with Nigeria’s Mary Lucky Mkpa missing two high-quality opportunities. South Korea threatened to take the lead with a powerful free-kick from Myeyung that struck the crossbar just before half-time. The first half ended without any goals, setting the stage for a more aggressive second half.
Nigeria improved significantly after the break, creating several scoring chances. Sabastine and Amina Bello both had their shots blocked, while substitute Chiamaka Okwuchukwu made a promising run down the right flank. Defensively, Jumoke Alani and Shukurat Oladipo were solid, effectively dealing with South Korean attacks and maintaining a clean sheet.
With this victory, Nigeria is well-positioned to advance from the group stage. The Falconets will face a formidable opponent in their next match against three-time champions Germany on Wednesday evening, at the same venue. A win against Germany could guarantee Nigeria a spot in the knockout rounds of the tournament.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
