France U20 girls in the early hours of Monday, by Nigerian time, choked Canada 3-1 to have hopes for a quarter final ticket from group C with the Falconets of Nigeria.
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Canada scored their only goal so far through Smith at a pulsating 90+6 minute of the game before a surprise 1,327 stadium capacity with Newzealand Ref Anna-Marie Keighley as Centre Ref.
Fouquet scored a brace which in football means two goals in a match at 51st and 65th minutes while Mbakem-Niaro increased the goal tally to three for France at the 88th minute.
It was a match in which the god of soccer did not smile on Canda who outclassed France in every department of the game. France apart from the three scored goals did not record a single shot at goal for which Canada had two.
Canada had better possession of 57 to 43 which means they were able to hold the ball better and control the game even with their 369 to 293 passes.
Canada had 4 corner kicks to zero of France meaning they are not good with set pieces and may be thoroughly bulala (canned) by Nigeria most especially when Canada played rough game with 12 fouls to 9 of France and two yellow cards to zero of France an indication that the Falconets may whip a desperate Canada silly.
Nigeria is the only team with a clean slate in the group. A clean slate means they are yet to concede a single goal in the tournament. And so Nigeria tops group C with 6 points scoring just two vital goals; France that Nigeria beat by a lone goal is second on the table with three points scoring three goals and conceding two; South Korea also has three points scoring two goals and conceding a lone goal while Canada sadly sits at the bottom of the table with zero point, one goal scored and five conceded.
Nigeria needs just a draw against Canada to finally top the group which statistically looks impossible as the victory pendulum favours Nigeria but France too needs a draw to swim away from the exit door with Canada as the last group games will be played simultaneously on Wednesday.
Eniola Olatunji.
