In the first leg of their 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup African qualification series second-round match, Nigeria and Tanzania U-20 girls battled a 1-1 draw in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.
The first forty-five minutes of the match were tense as both teams attempted to avoid giving up to secure a spot in Colombia for the Mundial next year.
The match in Dar es Salaam saw little activity in the first half, but in the second half, things picked up.
At the Azam Sports Complex in Tanzania’s capital, Nigeria took the lead 3 minutes before the hour mark thanks to a goal score from substitute Chioma Olise after a scoreless first half.
13 minutes later, Asnath Ubamba of the home team scored from a free kick, leaving Nigerian goalkeeper Anderlin Mgebchi clueless.
Despite tough competition from both sides to claim the lead toward the end of the artificial tur, the final score remained the same.
When the two teams play in the second leg on Sunday, the Falconets will return to Nigeria on Tuesday with great expectations to defeat the Tanzanians.
Though they played a 1-1 draw away from home against Ethiopia, Christopher Danjuma’s girls advanced to the last round of the qualification series, where they will aim to replicate the success of the Super Falcons in the 2024 Olympic qualifiers in Paris.
