Nigeria's Falconets have advanced to the Round of 16 in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup following a decisive 4-0 victory over Venezuela in their final group match at Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero, Colombia, on Saturday night.
Amina Bello, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, and Flourish Sebastine
each found the net in the first half, establishing a strong lead for
Christopher Danjuma’s team, while Joy Igbokwe capped off the scoring in
stoppage time.
This win marks the Falconets' second triumph in three Group
D matches, bringing their total points to six, equal to that of Germany.
In an exciting match, Okwuchukwu assisted Bello for the
opening goal in the 16th minute before scoring herself with a header in the
28th minute. Sebastine added the third goal just before halftime.
The fourth goal came in stoppage time, with Igbokwe, who
came on as a substitute, delivering a stunning long-range shot for the final
score.
Although Nigeria finished with the same points as group
leaders Germany, they were placed second due to a less favorable head-to-head
record and goal difference.
The Falconets will now face the top team from Group E, which
will be determined by either Japan or Austria, with the match scheduled for
September 13.