The Flamingos showcased their dominance in the first half, netting three goals and making significant progress toward the next stage of the tournament in the Dominican Republic.
Shakira Moshood opened the scoring just two minutes into the Group A match. A series of impressive attacking plays from the Nigerian team led to a commanding 3-0 lead by the 30th minute, with goals from Taiwo Adegoke and Fairdat Abdulwahab.
Upon returning for the second half, the Flamingos extended their lead to 4-0 with a goal from Taiwo Afolabi.
Despite the Kiwis rarely posing a threat to the Nigerian defense, they managed to score a consolation goal, bringing the final score to 4-1.
Although the West Africans had multiple opportunities to increase their lead, some missed chances prevented Coach Bankole Olowookere’s squad from further extending their advantage.
With this victory, Nigeria will now focus on their upcoming matches against Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, scheduled for Saturday, October 19th, and Tuesday, October 22nd, respectively.
In the previous edition of the tournament, the Flamingos achieved their best result by finishing third.