By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
A brace by attacking midfielder, Esther Onyenezide and another goal by Precious Vincent ensured that Nigeria’s Falconets defeat hard-fighting Young Lionesses of Cameroon 3-0 at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja in the return leg of the fourth round match in the race for this year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Costa Rica.
Onyenezide who is fast establishing herself as a reliable goalscorer scored her first of the two goals in the 22nd minute before Precious Vincent increased the tally in the 37th as the visitors tried without success to come back to the game before the interval.
On resumption, the Coach Christopher Danjuma Musa led Falconets pressed high although they let themselves down in the final third with Mercy Idoko the worst culprit of wastefulness as could not convert some glaring chances.
But in one of the moments of brilliance by the Nigerian girls forays into Cameroon’s territory, the ball bounced kindly to Onyenezide who struck again in the 73rd minute to put the match beyond the Lionesses.
The victory has seen Nigeria qualify for the final round of the qualifiers where they will meet either Morocco or Senegal just as the winner over two legs in the last round will pick one of Africa’s three tickets to the World Cup slated for Costa Rica later in the year.
The encounter against Cameroon the refurbished Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday was the first international match at Nigeria’s premium sporting arena since the Falcons defeated their Senegalese counterparts 2-0 in a Women Africa Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifying match in April 2016.
