NIGERIA’S Falconets defeated Tanzania 2-1 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja today to advance to the final round of the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
Janet Akekoromowei and Comfort Folorunsho scored the goals today to give the Falconets a 3-2 aggregate victory over the East Africans.
The Falconets’ win came barely two hours after the Super Eagles disappointed Nigerians in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign by playing 1-1 with Zimbabwe in Rwanda.
The Falconets, who reached the quarter-finals at the U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2022 and have never failed to qualify for the tournament, took the lead in the 16th minute when Akekoromowei powered home from the edge of the box after an intelligent pass from Taiwo Afolabi.
Five minutes later, Tanzania were level, when Falconets goalkeeper Shukura Bakare dropped the ball from a free-kick 35 yards out and Jamila Mnunduka bundled the ball over the line.
On the hour mark, defender Folorunsho broke the streak of 1-1draws for Nigeria’s national teams in recent weeks, when she leapt highest to head home from Afolabi’s cross.
The Falconets will now take on Burundi in the final round of qualifiers to determine one of Africa’s representatives at the tournament to be hosted by Colombia next year.
