By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Nigeria’s junior women’s football team, Falconets in the early hours of Friday outfoxed their hard fighting opponents from France as the two-time runners-up overcame a torrential rain and an hour’s delay to beat Europe’s top team France 1-0 in the opening match of Group C of the 10th FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
The adverse weather condition in San Jose, capital of the central American country which made fluid football impossible from the start, resulted to the abrupt stoppage of proceedings even when both teams were still trying to manage the situation with France making early incursions into Nigeria’s vital area.
It was not a surprice when Mexican referee, Francia Gonzales stopped the match in the 20th minute as a tropical rainstorm made visibility impossible for both the players and the match officials. The suspension of play lasted exactly one hour before play resumed with both teams looking refreshed.
However, the temporary suspension of the game was a blessing to the Nigerian camp as Falconets Head Coach Christopher Danjuma Musa and his assistants used the hour period to restrategise after seeing how the French played in the first 20th minute of the match.
He quickly adopted the smash and grab sytle which paid off at the end of the gusty encounter.
The new approach adopted by Nigeria nearly paid off early on resumption as it took few minutes before French defender, Magnaba Folquet had to desperately head the ball away from goal as Nigeria pushed forward as both teams continued to search for a breakthrough without success till the end of the first half, although Nigeria captain Oluwatosin Demehin and France defender Kysha Sylla were cautioned , a measure of the intensity of the battle.
In the second half, both teams fought even harder and two minutes before the hour mark, forward Mercy Idoko just failed to connect properly at the tail end of a sweet team move, and 20 minutes from time, goalkeeper Oyono Omini provided a critical block in the vital area as France surged forward.
In the 72nd minute, substitute Chiamaka Okwuchukwu was hindered from getting anything positive as Flourish Sabastine got a cross into the French vital area.
The game flowed from end to end as both teams attacked with zest and defended with resolution.
Substitute Jade Nassi thought she had put France ahead when she slotted home from a goalmouth melee that followed a corner kick in the 80th minute, but referee Gonzales consulted the Video Assistant Referee which correctly ruled out the strike for a foul on Omini.
But five minutes later, Nigeria got the goal that their push, effort and enterprise deserved when Flourish Sabastine, top scorer for the Falconets in the African qualifying series, raced onto a brilliant Mercy Idoko pass, kept her composure and slotted past goalkeeper Marie-Morgane Sieber with some flourish.
Nigeria’s next match will be on Sunday against Korea Republic at the Estadio Alajuela Morera Soto.
Another win in that tie will automatically assure the Falconets and Nigeria a place in the tournament’s quarter-finals, although three points may guarantee passage as one of the best losers depending what happens in other groups at the conclusion of group matches.
