Nigeria’s Falconets have booked a date with South Africa’s Basetsana in the final round of qualifying matches for the 2018 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
A brace from Rasheedat Ajibade and Reuben Charity inspired Christopher Danjuma’s side to an emphatic 5-1 win in the second-leg of the tie after a 1-1 first-leg result in Salé.
The Falconets opened scoring through Ajibade just five minutes in and the host doubled through Gift Monday ten minutes later.
The match had earlier been considered for postponement due to heavy downpour at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
After the agreement between the teams for the game go ahead the quick fire double by the Falconets made it seem like Morocco could do with the postponement.
But, they showed defiance and halved the deficit with a goal credited more to a goalkeeping error than the effort of Fatima Tagnaout from a free kick in the 35th minute.
Despite some some back and forth action, the first half will end with just the three goals.
In the second half though, it was all Nigeria all the way, as the Falconets went all gung-ho.
Substitute Reuben Charity gave Nigeria some breathing space with the aggregate score 3-2.
She scored in the 77th minute to put some daylight between the sides despite the cloudy skies in Benin.
Then Ajibade proved why she’s the hottest potential in Nigeria women football, grabbing her second of the day on the second minute of additional time.
But the hosts weren’t done just yet and Charity would also register her second to seal a 5-1 win and 6-2 aggregate victory as the Falconets advanced to the third and final round of the qualifiers.
Danjuma must now plot an impeccable winning strategy against South Africa’s Basetsana who defeated Burundi 5-2 on aggregate.
FT: South Africa 5–0 (5–2 agg) Burundi.
Motlhalo with a brace; Xesi, Daweti, Salgado with a goal apiece.
🇿🇦will now face winner of the Nigeria/Morocco tie in the final round!
What a comeback by #Basetsana!
— SAFA.net (@SAFA_net) November 18, 2017
South Africa host the first leg of the tie against Nigeria on January 12, 2018 with
second leg scheduled two weeks later.
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