FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Nigeria Aims For Spanish Spinal Chord To Get Victory on Monday.
Nigeria’s U20 Women National Team, Falconets, Head Coach, Moses Aduku has declared that his team will throw everything into Monday’s opening match of Group F at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, in which they will confront Spain at the Stadion Sosnowiec.
Nigeria, two-time runners-up of the global championship that began as an U19 tournament in Canada in 2002, go up against the Spaniards from 5pm Nigerian time..
Said Aduku, “We are looking forward to the match against Spain with high expectations. We are ready and set to go. Spain is a good wide no doubt; let us not forget they are champions of the world at men’s senior level. However, we will approach the game like a Cup final because we want to win. The three points will put us in good stead in our group phase campaign”.
Spain have made remarkable progress in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in the past eight years. Against all odds, they went all the way to the final in France in 2018, finishing as runners-up after a 3-1 defeat by Japan. However, Spain’s forward Patricia Guijarro won both the Golden Ball and the Golden Shoe. Two years later, in Costa Rica, they were champions of the world, avenging their defeat to Japan four years earlier.
Nigeria’s Falconets have an almost-identical story. In 2010, the Falconets, against all odds, went all the way to the final, including enacting a famous penalty-shootout defeat of the United States of America in a dramatic semi final in Augsburg. A week later, after beating Colombia in the semi finals, the Falconets lost by two goals to hosts Germany in Bielefeld. However, it was the first time an African team would go that far in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
Just as Spain’s Patricia Guijarro won the Golden Ball and the Golden Shoe awards in France in 2018, despite her team failing to lift the trophy, Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala dominated the 2014 finals in Canada to the point of winning the Golden Ball and the Golden Shoe. She scored seven amazing goals. But the Falconets lost by the odd goal to Germany after extra time in Montreal.
On Monday, at the Stadion Sosnowiec, Aduku will send out his girls against the Spaniards with clear instructions to dominate and earn the three points, ahead of their other group phase games (against China and New Caledonia) on Thursday and Sunday respectively.
PHOTO: Falconets at their training session in Poland on Saturday courtesy NFF.
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Meanwhile, The Nigeria Football Federation has beamed the light on the route of the senior women national team, Super Falcons, to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, expressing confidence in the ability of the 10-time African champions to earn a back-to-back ticket to the glamorous Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, after their participation at the 2024 Games in Paris.
The Super Falcons have now shifted their focus to a second-round fixture against Comoros in the African qualifying series, with both legs of the fixture to take place at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne-Remo on 9th and 13th October respectively.
The Falcons are required to navigate four rounds of two-legged knockout ties to earn one of Africa’s two available places at the tournament in Los Angeles in two years’ time. Nigeria, one of the three highest-ranked teams in the qualifying competition, received a bye into the second round. Comoros secured their place in the second round after defeating Sudan 30-0 on aggregate. Once they overcome Comoros over two legs, the Falcons will progress to the third round, scheduled for 23rd February – 6th March 2027. Either DR Congo or Morocco awaits the Falcons in that round.
Progress to the fourth round will see the Falcons take on one of Tunisia, Senegal, Benin Republic or Mali between 4th – 12th October 2027.
The final round of the qualifying race will hold 23rd November – 4th December 2027, with the Falcons to face any of Guinea, Cameroon, DR Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Central African Republic, Algeria and Burkina Faso.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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