The Flamingos walloped Ecuador 4-0 on Saturday night at the Cibao Stadium in their second group game of the Fifa U17 Women’s World Cup.
Coach Bankole Olowookere named the same lineup as he did in the opening game against New Zealand on Wednesday.
Harmony Chidi forced the Ecuador shot-stopper Maria Rodriguez to a very good save in the 11th minute with a fierce shot.
Peace Effiong then got the opportunity to put Nigeria ahead but was denied Domi Rodriguez.
Just before the half-hour mark, Effiong worked her way into the Ecuador penalty area and found Chidi, but the ball was nicked away from her but only as far as Taiwo Afolabi.
Afolabi was then brought down by Maite Zambrano, and after confirmation from the Video Assistant Referee, the Flamingos were awarded a penalty.
Shakirat, Moshood stepped up to convert the penalty, which she expertly dispatched, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Two minutes after the opening goal, Effiong attempted to give the Flamingos a two-goal cushion but couldn’t convert.
In the 36th minute, Chidi put the ball into the net, but her effort was ruled out for offside.
A long-range effort from Caprice Chiuchiolo forced Christiana Uzoma into the first-half stoppage-time.
Not long after the restart, Chidi put the ball home, but her effort was ruled for offside for the second time in the encounter.
Chidi eventually doubled the advantage for Nigeria, firing a low shot home from Aishat Animashaun’s pass in the 54th minute.
She came close to getting a brace not long after, forcing Rodriguez to a save inside the penalty area.
Five minutes after the hour mark, Melany Pozo, who had replaced Rodriguez, failed to control a pass from Zambrano, and Effiong was there to put the ball into the empty net.
In the 78th minute, Moshood attempted a long-range effort, but her effort was saved by Pozo.
During the stoppage time, Uzoma misjudged a corner kick, which fell to the feet of Mary Guerra, who came close to scoring but was denied by a last-ditch clearance from Taiwo Adegoke.
Moshood put the icing on the cake, tucking Chidi’s pass home to net her third of the tournament in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
The victory keeps Nigeria top of Group A, and only a catastrophic result against Dominican Republic will prevent them from making it to the knock-out stages.
Abdulkareem Abdulhamid @All Nigeria Soccer
