Nigeria’s Flamingos got their campaign back on track yesterday with an easy 4-0 victory against New Zealand in their second Group B game after failing to defeat Germany in their opening group encounter at the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.
The Flamingos lost their group opener 1-2 to Germany on Tuesday, but yesterday they took out their frustration on Chile and won with to goals from Amina Bello and Miracle Usani in the first half and two more from Taiwo Afolabi and Etim Edidiong in the second.
Bello headed in a cross from Tumininu Adeshina to give the Flamingos the lead after 16 minutes, to the delight of Ibrahim Gusau, the new NFF President.
Usani then doubled the lead in the 34th minute, and Afolabi added a third goal with 15 minutes remaining. Since the September electoral congress in Benin City, Edo State, Edidiong’s fourth goal in the 90th minute gave the Gusau-led NFF board its first victory abroad.
After the girls’ first board meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Gusau and an unspecified number reportedly left for India to support them.
Gusau had urged the players to use all effort to defeat New Zealand on Thursday. The victory from yesterday gave Nigeria new optimism of advancing to the World Cup’s knockout stages.
Monday’s last group match will pit the Flamingos against Chile.
Yesterday’s second match saw Germany defeat Chile 5-0 to maintain their group-leading position.
