GOVERNOR Seyi Makinde of Oyo State today rewarded the Falconets of Nigeria with $15,000, after they defeated Rwanda 4-0 in a 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.
Precious Oscar, Tumininu Adeshina, Janet Akekoromowei and Alaba Olabiyi all struck to earn the Falconets a 5-0 aggregate win and progress into the third round in February, when they will face Senegal or Algeria.
The Falconets opened the floodgates of goals in the 12th minute, when Tessy Ojiyovwi sped down the left wing and crossed for Oscar to side-foot past Rwanda goalkeeper Iramuzi Belise.
Belise saved from Akekoromowei three minutes later, but was helpless as she tipped Adeshina’s corner kick into her net in the 20th minute for Nigeria’s second.
On the half-hour mark, the pacy Ojiyovwi almost scored again, and before the interval, Oscar and Akekoromowei had both come close to increasing Nigeria’s advantage.
The Falconets went 3-0 up in the 60th minute when Akekoromowei’s low show flew past Belise.
Ojiyovwi thought she had scored a fourth for Nigeria in the 65th minute, but her effort was ruled offside.
In the 90th minute, the fourth goal eventually came, as substitute Olabiyi, who scored the lone goal in Kigali on Sunday, diverted the ball into the net off a shot by Taiwo Afolabi.