They beat Japan 2-1 in the second group game while the second African representative,Ghana fell to Korea Republic 4-2.

Nigeria took a major step towards the second round of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Japan in Augsburg on Saturday. The Falconets, who had drawn 1-1 with England in their opening game in Group C, now have four points and are sure to be in a good position to qualify for the knock-out stage of the competition. The Japanese who drew 3-3 with Mexico in a thrilling come-from-behind encounter on Wednesday were unable to build on that as Nigeria’s Amarachi Okoronkwo and Desire Oparanozie’s early goals really counted despite Mana Iwabuchi’s second half consolation.

Nigeria got the curtain raiser in the 6th minute after Ebere Orji’s tricky cross caused confusion between Shoko Yamada and goalkeeper Erina Yamane. In a race for the ball, Okoronkwo proved the fastest and touched in her first goal of the tournament taking place in Germany. The discouraging defensive lapse was multiplied just minutes later from what was Nigeria’s second shot on goal. Iwabuchi was the next star to shine, and she found the net thanks to her clever speed of thought, quickest to take advantage of some shaky goalkeeping in the 62nd minute.

The second African representative to the tournament, Ghana, had a 2-1 early lead in the game half but allowed their opponents to score three times in the final 28 minutes to carry the day on a 4-2 victory, thereby jeopardising the chances of Ghana qualifying for the quarterfinals after recording only one point in two matches.

Nigeria will next face Mexico on Wednesday, while Ghana will equally be involved in a battle for survival in their final group game against Switzerland. Both matches will take place in Bochum. Nigeria and Ghana won the only two available places in the tournament after defeating South Africa and the democratic republic of Congo respectively in the last qualifier matches. Ghana is participating in the tournament for the very first time while Nigeria has been in every edition of the tournament since it was created.