Nigerian Under-20 female football team has crashed out of the FIFA World Cup in Papua New Guinea despite their victory over Spain in their last group game.
Chinwendu Ihezuo scored the winner in Port Moresby to secure all three points for Peter Dedevbo’s ladies but it wasn’t enough to see them through as they failed to overcome the goal difference deficit.
Coming into the final Group B clash, the Falconets knew result from the other game between Japan and Canada will determine their fate as victory would give them a chance of progressing to the quarter-final.
Nigeria needed a nine-goal swing to overtake Spain in second place, but were down after seven minutes when Alba Redondo scored from a poor Falconets’ defending.
The Falconets responded five minutes later, Charity Reuben nodded down a Nigerian corner, with Ihuoma Onyebuchi finding enough space and time to fire home from inside the penalty area.
The Europeans were left to rue that their misses as Ihezuo fired home 12 minutes from time, after a defensive mix-up between Carmen Menayo and Marta Cazalla.
Japan finished as Group B winner with six points after dismissing Canada 5-0 at the National Football Stadium, Port Moresby.
Japan, Spain and Nigeria were tied on 6 points each but the Asian giants and their European counterpart moved on in the competition with a superior goal difference over the Falconets.
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