South Africa…. 0

Nigeria……….. (2) 3

Gift Monday 5, Zainab Olapade 41,  Cynthia Aku 64′ 

17 August 2019 — South Africa’s National Women Under-20 (Basetsana) side suffered a 3-0 defeat in their opening 2019 All Africa Games Group B match against Nigeria at the  Stade des Chênes in Sale Jadida, Morocco. 

Goals by Gift Monday, Zainab Olapade and Cynthia Aku were enough to give the West African side the needed result to start off their group account with a positive result. 

Nigeria’s first goal came in the 5th minute of the match when the captain, Monday, struck a powerful loose ball following a failed defensive clearance by Basetsana’s defence away from the danger zone. 

That goal allowed Nigeria to find their feet in that match as they began to play with more confidence on the ball pressing forward. 

Basetsana created decent amounts of scoring chances of their own, however, lacked the needed deadly touch to finish them off. 

Lonathemba Mhlongo and Lehlogonolo Sebastia could have put Basetsana two goals up in the 13th and 32nd minute respectively before the halftime break, however, each of their attempts at goal went wide. 

Olapade made it 2-0 for Nigeria following a bolting run into the 18-yard box just four minutes before the halftime break. 

In the second half, South Africa were more solid in the rearguard, thwarting most of the chances Nigeria created while pushing forward. 

It was only a lapse of concentration in the 64th minute which found them wanting when Aku sneaked passed their rearguard to score Nigeria’s final goal of the match from a corner kick.