U-17 W/Cup:Flamingoes Hit Quarterfinals After Beating Colombia

The flamingos of Nigeria
went a goal behind, but rallied to beat Colombia 2-1 and secure their place in the quarterfinals of the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup.
Having lost their opening game to Mexico, the South Americans needed a win to keep their hopes of progress alive, and looked to have got off to the dream start when Angie Rodriguez looped a header beyond Onyinyechukwu Okeke inside three minutes.
But the Nigerian girls kept their heads, and were soon level when Joy Bokiri curled in a perfectly flighted free-kick from the edge of the penalty area.
Things were to get even better. Uchenna Kalu ghosted in unmarked at the far post to nod in a corner kick and put the Flamingoes ahead.
But for their error-strewn shooting, the Nigerian girls could have been out of sight as Colombia were pegged back into their own half.
Midfielder Ihuoma Onyebuchi rattled the Colombia crossbar with a first time strike from distance as the South Americans retreated under the onslaught.
In one particularly unrelenting wave, goalkeeper Monica Florez was forced into a succession of saves as the Nigerians peppered her goal.
But there were to be no further goals and the win means Colombia join China as the eliminated teams from the group, while Nigeria and Mexico will meet in the battle for group leadership.

Flamingoes players celebrating their equalising goal against Colombia before clinching the winner, yesterday