Bogotá, Colombia — A stoppage-time goal by Flourish Sabastine propelled Nigeria’s Falconets to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Korea Republic at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia early Monday morning.
In a tightly contested match at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo, Bogotá, clear-cut scoring opportunities were rare, but it was the Nigerian team that capitalized on theirs in the dying moments of the game.
The Falconets started brightly, with forward Mary Lucky Mkpa having a chance to put Nigeria ahead but failing to find the target with a close-range effort after a well-timed pass from Rofiat Imuran. Despite their early promise, it was the Korean side that nearly broke the deadlock 15 minutes into the match, only for Shukurat Oladipo to make a crucial interception, diverting a dangerous cross from the right.
Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Shukurat Bakare, had a nervy moment in the 28th minute when she misjudged a cross, nearly gifting the Koreans a goal. Fortunately for the Falconets, the Korean forward sent her shot over the bar, letting Bakare off the hook.
As the first half progressed, the Falconets continued to press, with Mkpa again coming close but unable to keep her shot down. Korea, however, reminded Nigeria of their threat just before halftime, with Myeyung’s powerful free-kick from 22 yards smashing against the crossbar.
The second half saw both teams pushing for a breakthrough. Sabastine and Amina Bello had their efforts blocked inside the Korean penalty area, while substitute Chiamaka Okwuchukwu’s promising run down the right failed to produce a goal.
Just as it seemed the match was destined for a draw, Sabastine delivered a moment of brilliance deep into stoppage time. The Nigerian forward struck a precise shot from the right wing that kissed the upright before nestling into the back of the net, sparking jubilant celebrations from the Falconets.
With this victory, Chris Danjuma’s side now turns their attention to a challenging encounter on Wednesday evening against three-time champions Germany, who defeated Venezuela in the other Group D fixture.
The win puts the Falconets in a strong position as they look to advance in the tournament, with their confidence bolstered by the dramatic nature of their opening victory.
