U-20 World Cup: Falconets land in France with 6-goal victory over South Africa; We expected it – Coach

Nigeria’s U-20 female team, the Falconets, on Saturday in Benin qualified for the Female World Cup in France after a six-goal victory over Basetsana, their South African counterparts.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Falconets, who won 2-0 in the first leg a fortnight ago in South Africa, qualified on an eight-goal aggregate.
The return leg played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin saw the Nigerian team scoring five goals in the first half of the game.
The Besetsana were hardly a match for their Nigerian opponents who clearly dominated proceedings right from the blast of the whistle.
The Nigerian goal keeper, who was virtually on holiday, only had a feel of the ball twice all through the first half of the match.
A brace each by Monday Gift (5th and 39th minute), Ajibade Rasheedat (21st and 32nd minute) and Imo Anam (26th and 73rd minute) ensured Falconets’ comfortable win in Benin.
The South Africans became more aggressive and even came close to scoring in the early minutes of the second half but were denied the opportunity by the Nigerian keeper, Nnadozie Chiamaka.
Nigeria’s Monday Gift got a red card and also sustained an injury at the same time following a goal-mouth scramble in South Africa’s vital area.
The Falconets had defeated the Tanzanian and Moroccan teams enroute qualifying for the World Cup.
NAN reports that the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, the ninth edition, will hold between Aug. 5 and Aug. 24 in France.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U-20 female coach Christopher Danjuma says the Falconets’ victory over the Besetsana of South Africa in the second leg U-20 World Cup qualifier is not a surprise to him.
Danjuma, who spoke after the 6 -0 bashing of his opponent, said he expected more goals but was satisfied with the ones scored by his girls.
Danjuma said with the first leg away victory, he told his girls to go about to express themselves in Saturday’s match.
“I was sure of victory and had even expected more than six goals but I am, however, okay with the number of goals the girls scored.
“I am very much satisfied with the way the girls played. They played according to instruction but quite unfortunately, one of my players had a red card in the course of the victory.
“Now that we are over the qualifier, we will now go back to begin to prepare properly for the World Cup,” he said.
NAN reports that Saturday’s match saw the Nigerian team scoring five goals in the first 45 minutes of the game.
The obviously one-sided game saw the Nigerian goal keeper on holiday as she only had a feel of the ball twice all through the first half of the match.