9th November, 2015
Coach of Nigeria’s U-20 team, the Falconets, Peter Dedevdo, has praised the gallant girls for beating South Africa on Sunday to qualify for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The Falconets fought hard with discipline and earned a ticket to the U-20 Women’s World Cup when beating South Africa 1-0 in Johannesburg.
At the end of the tie, Coach Dedevbo to the website of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, that “our ability on the African continent has never been in doubt. We had a gameplan and stuck to it till the end. My girls fought a good fight to give us this ticket.
“Our objective now should be to start preparing towards winning the World Cup next year.”
The qualifying match was delicately poised after the Basetsana got a penalty in added time that they scored in the first leg in Nigeria, reducing the Falconets win to 2-1.
However, Falconets coach, Dedevbo’s gameplan worked in the second leg as he sent out an attacking side at the Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa – venue of the Super Falcons’ triumph in the African Women Championship in 2004.
Nigeria dominated the early exchanges and it was no surprise when striker Chinwendu Ihezuo (top scorer at the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan) scored from a pull –out by defender Mary Ologbosere in the 16th minute to increase the Falconets’ aggregate advantage.
South Africa continued to fight but the Falconets held on till the end, and will be one of Africa’s two flagbearers at next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.