India 2022: Ajakaye wins Player of the Match award

FIFA has picked Flamingoes top striker, Opeyemi Ajakaye, as the standout Player of the Match against New Zealand at the U-17 World Cup in India.

The FC Robo star did not score in the 4-0 trouncing of New Zealand on Friday but she stood out with her tireless runs, take-ons and link-up plays.

She was the heartbeat of the Nigerian attack and an ever present danger to the opposing defence.

Ajakaye would have scored goals today had her finishing been more clinical.

The Flamingos bounced back from their 2-1 defeat to Germany by bashing New Zealand 4-0 in their second Group B match at the ongoing U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.

Two goals in either half sealed the win, which boosted their chances of advancing to the knockout stage of the competition.

Striker Omowunmi Bello scored first in the 16th minute, converting a cross from Tumininu Adeshina.

Flamingos got their second goal in the 34th minute as Miracle Usani, who scored the opener against Germany on Tuesday, doubled the lead.

Midfielder Taiwo Afolabi made it 3-0 in the 75th minute, after a VAR review, before substitute Etim Edidiong sealed the emphatic victory with a beautiful strike five minutes into added time.

The win comes as a big boost for the Flamingos as coach Bankole Olowookere’s side now need just a draw against Chile to advance to the quarter-finals on Monday, after Germany drubbed the Chileans 6-0 in the other Group B game.

The Germans are first with maximum six points, while the Flamingos and Chile have three points each but the Nigerians have a superior +3 goals difference against the South Americans’ -4.