African Games: Falconets stun Senegal with 4-0 win, advance to semi-final

Nigeria’s Under-20 women football team, the Falconets, on Monday defeated their Senegalese counterparts 4-0 in the second Group B game at he ongoing 13th African Games in Ghana.

The Falconets have booked their place in the semi-finals of the All Africa Games women’s title after putting four goals past Senegal in the match played at Cape Coast Stadium.

The goals from Loveth Edeh, Motunrayo Ezekiel, Chioma Olise and an own goal were enough to move ahead of Senegal.

Falconets took the lead in the 14th minute through Edeh.

The Senegalese fought back but they were unable to penetrate the solid Nigerian defence.

Five minutes into the second half, Nigeria doubled their lead through Ezekiel, as she capitalised on an opportunity, swiftly advancing towards the Senegalese goal area and finding the back of the net.

A minute later, the pressure from the Nigerian forwards forced the Senegalese to commit a blunder, which saw Aiche Kalas score an own goal, who inadvertently put the ball in her own net.

Nigeria added another goal through forward Oliseh, netting the fourth in the 81st minute.

With the win, the Falconets have now secured a place in the semi-finals of the African Games women’s football tournament having secured six points from two games without conceding a goal.

The Christopher Danjuma-led girls went into the game in all confidence having defeated Morocco 2-0 in their first match on March 8.

Nigeria are the defending champions and are in Group B alongside Morocco, Senegal and Cameroon.

While hosts Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda are in Group A.

Falconets won the gold medal in the women’s football event of the 12th African Games that took place in Rabat, Morocco in 2019.

The 13th African Games which started March 8 runs to March 23 in Ghana across three cities: Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast.