New Zealand 1 Nigeria 4: Moshood, Adegoke, Abdulwahab and Afolabi goals help Flamingos secure big win

The Flamingos opened their Fifa U17 Women's World Cup campaign with a 4-1 victory over New Zealand at the Cibao Stadium on Wednesday night.

Two minutes into the game, Nigeria took the lead; after a first attempt was blocked, Harmony Chidi picked up Shakirat Moshood, who drifted past her marker before finding the bottom corner.

Faridat Abdulwahab's long-range shot was denied by the frame of the goal to prevent the Flamingos from racing into a two-goal lead, but it wouldn't take long before they bagged the second.

Picked up by Abdulwahab from the right flank, Taiwo Adegoke, from a long way out, found the bottom of the net as New Zealand goalkeeper Brooke Neary shockingly let the ball slip from her hands beyond the goal line.

Chidi could have made it three when Peace Effiong put her through on goal; she rounded the goalkeeper, who quickly made a recovery run from putting the ball home.

Two minutes before the half-hour mark, Wahab gave Nigeria a three-goal cushion with another incredible goal from outside the penalty area.

In the 39th minute, Afolabi put Harmony through on a goal, but she was denied by a last-ditch tackle before New Zealand finally got their first shot of the game from a free-kick, which was easily saved by goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma.

Effiong had the chance to pile more misery on New Zealand in the stoppage time, but her effort sailed wide, and that was the last clear goalscoring opportunity in the first half.

Effiong was presented with the first big chance of the second half when she couldn't beat Neary in a one-the-one situation, but Afolabi made amends on her behalf.

From a well-floated cross from Adegoke, the skipper produced enough power to direct her looping header beyond the goalkeeper.

Uzoma produced a fine save to deny New Zealand from reducing the deficit, but Hannah Saxon scored from the resulting corner-kick.

In the 74th minute, Chidi, with a solo effort, forced Neary to make another save, which resulted in a corner kick that the Flamingos couldn't maximize.

Nigeria were able to weather the storm after New Zealand pulled one back and finished the game strongly to cap a brilliant performance.

They are now set to face Ecuador in their second group game on October 19, and a victory in the fixture will book them a place in the knock-out stages.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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