New Zealand Falls to Nigeria 4-1 in FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Opener

New Zealand’s hopes for a strong start at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 were dashed after a 4-1 defeat to Nigeria in their opening match in the Dominican Republic. Despite a much-improved second-half performance, Alana Gunn’s squad couldn’t recover from a brutal first 45 minutes that saw Nigeria storm into a three-goal lead.

Having secured their spot in the World Cup by winning last year’s OFC U-16 Women’s Championship in Tahiti, where a last-minute goal from Katie Pugh sealed their victory over Fiji, New Zealand knew they were in for a tough challenge on the global stage. That challenge materialized almost immediately, as Nigeria’s Shakirat Moshood netted the first goal just two minutes into the match.

Nigeria doubled their lead in the 13th minute when goalkeeper Brooke Neary mishandled a speculative long-range shot from Khadijat Adegoke, allowing the ball to slip over the line. New Zealand’s woes continued as Faridat Abdulwahab scored with a stunning curling effort from the edge of the box in the 28th minute, putting Nigeria firmly in control with a 3-0 lead before the half-hour mark.

Despite being overwhelmed in the first half, New Zealand regrouped after the break, showing more composure and determination. Yet, Nigeria added a fourth goal just 10 minutes into the second half, with Taiwo Afolabi rising to meet a cross with a powerful header.

Hannah Saxon managed to pull one back for New Zealand in the 60th minute, converting a well-taken goal from a corner delivered by Ela Jerez. However, it proved to be a mere consolation as Nigeria maintained control for the remainder of the match.

New Zealand will aim for redemption in their next match against host nation Dominican Republic, scheduled for three days’ time, before closing their group stage campaign against Ecuador on October 23.

Match Summary:
New Zealand: 1 (Hannah Saxon 60’)
Nigeria: 4 (Shakirat Moshood 2’, Khadijat Adegoke 13’, Faridat Abdulwahab 28’, Taiwo Afolabi 55’)

Tags:
FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024, New Zealand U-17, Nigeria U-17, Women’s Football, World Cup Opener, Youth Soccer, Dominican Republic 2024

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