Nigeria humbles New Zealand to earn first win at U17 Women W/Cup

Nigeria’s Flamingos have defeated their New Zealand counterpart 4-0 in their second group B match of the 2022 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in India.

Nigeria orchestrated a completely dominating performance over the Young Football Ferns at the Pandit Jawaharlal Stadium in Goa on Friday.

The Bankole Olowookere-led girls entered the game following a disappointing 2-1 loss to Germany in their first game.

With the front trio of Opeyemi Ajakaye, Omowunmi Bello, and Alvine Dah-Zossu, the Flamingos repressed the New Zealanders from the beginning of the game.

Nigeria’s domination was converted into a goal in the 16th minute after Bello met Tunmininu Adeshina’s cross with a powerful header and send Flamingos into the lead.

Spates of chances were then squandered by the Nigerians who overwhelmed the Ferns with intense control.

Bello sent a freekick into the grasp of Aimee Feinberg-Danieli in goal for New Zealand. The Nigerian winger also jabbed wide from a corner after a goalmouth scuffle by Ajakaye.

Feinberg-Danieli then stopped Ajakaye’s shot following a blistering ping-pong counterattack involving Bello and Dah-Zossu.

But the pressure was too intense for the New Zealand defence and an error was forced.

Miracle Usani sent in a seemingly harmless cross into Fern’s goal area but a miscommunication between Feinberg-Danieli and Manaia Elliot meant the defender deflected the ball beyond the expected grasp of the keeper.

Usani was credited with her second goal of the competition.

The second half began with Nigeria still the better team of both sides.

Ajakaye and Adeshina struck the crossbar and side-netting respectively as waves of Nigerian attacks left New Zealand in complete disarray.

There was no denying Taiwo Afolabi in the 75th minute, however. Her 25-yard piledriver whistled beyond the jump of Feinberg-Danieli into the net to extend Nigeria’s lead.

The icing on the cake was placed by Edidiong Etim in the stoppage time with another long-range strike that stunned Feinberg-Danieli.

Nigeria played 30 shots with 15 of them on target at the final whistle.

Falconets will be hoping to maintain the form when they play Chile in their final group game on Monday.

Only the top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-final.