Ruthless Japan Put Six Past Nigeria’s Falconets
Nigeria’s Falconets began their 2016 Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign on an embarrassing note, as they were trounced 6-0 by Japan on Sunday.
Mami Ueno bagged a hat-trick while Yuka Momiki scored either side of the break as the Nigerians could not respond to the dominance of the Young Nadeshiko in the Group B game of the tournament holding in Papua New Guinea.
Japan started brightly and put the Nigerians under pressure from the beginning. Ueno’s effort in the opening minute was tipped on the crossbar and out for a corner.
Early dominance results in goals
The Young Nadeshiko would later make their dominance count when Momiki’s close-range header found the net.
She doubled their advantage just three minutes later after Ueno got onto the end of captain Ruka Norimatsu’s neat pass and slotted past goalkeeper Sandra Chiichii.
The Asians pilled more pressure on the 2014 finalists and Momiki was on hand to score her second of the game.
More misery for Nigeria
Things got even worse for Nigeria with Mary Ologbsere’s own-goal just five minutes later.
Ueno recorded her second shortly after the hour-mark, making her way through the Nigerian defence and slotting home from close-range.
She completed her hat-trick with a wonder goal eight minutes from time, embarking on a valiant solo run and smashing a powerful strike into the top corner.
Both sides return to Brava Park on 16 November when Japan next face Spain in a top-of-the-group clash, while Nigeria meet Canada.
