Gloria Okobi shot from the edge of the box but Mexican goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago easily gathered and she was to prove a blockade for the barrage of shots from the Nigerian girls throughout the match until she was beaten by Oparanozie’s classic looping header that gave her no chance in extra time.
Oparanozie had the next shot in anger in the third minute but it was well wide. She had another shot in the 17th minute that was palmed away for the Falconets’ first corner kick.
The pressure was wholly on the Mexicans as the Nigerians flooded their half of the pitch with Ibubeleye Whyte in the Nigerian goal on holidays.
In the 37th minute, Oparanozie turned neatly on the edge of the box and crashed a shot goalwards which crashed against the cross bar.
Mexico threatened the Nigerians for the first time in the 41st minute but captain Gloria Ofoegbu made a good block and the danger was cleared.
The second half saw the Mexicans throwing more players into attack and the Nigerians sitting back to catch their opponents on the counter.
Esther Sunday was the greatest culprit in the Falconets team of making wrong decisions in advanced areas – shooting wildly and trying to dribble too many defenders.
Ofoegbu got on the end of a neat move in the 58th minute but the Mexican goalkeeper smothered the shot for a corner kick. It was one of the 33 shots that the Nigerians had in the game.
With 15 minutes left in normal time, the Mexicans came on stronger and had series of corner kicks and free kicks which threatened the Nigerians with goalkeeper Whyte flapping at crosses and making mis-timed jumps.
The game ended and went into extra time where the Nigerians nicked their goal and stayed strong to grab a place in the semi-finals where they will encounter either USA or North Korea, who play later on Thursday.
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