Falconets Land In Japan

In grand style, the U-20 Women National Team, Falconets, on Saturday in Kinshasa secured a berth at this year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals, hammering their host, DR Congo, 3-0 to make it 7-0 on
aggregate against the Congolese in their final African qualifying fixture.

Despite a 4-0 cushion from the first leg in Abeokuta two weeks ago, the Falconets approached the second leg game with gusto, overpowering the DR Congo ladies in all departments of the game.

Honours were even for only seven minutes at the Stade d’Martyrs, before deputy skipper Ngozi Okobi scored for Nigeria in the 8th minute. Five minutes later, Desire Oparanozie made it two for the Falconets, before Francisca Ordega scored her fourth goal for the team in the qualifiers with a sizzler in the 23rd minute.

At this stage, Coach Edwin Okon’s girls decided to take things easy and enjoy themselves, as the Congolese girls could see no way back into the fixture.

The Falconets thereby emulated the U-17 Team, Flamingoes, which qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Azerbaijan 2012 two months ago.

The Nigeria delegation will depart Kinshasa on Monday aboard an Ethiopia Airline flight to Addis Ababa, and onwards to Abuja.