By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Nigeria’s Falconets will confront the Oranje Ladies of Netherlands today (Sunday) in the quarter final match of the on-going FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica with the aim of picking a semi final ticket at the expense of the tough European opponents.
Although Nigeria and the Netherlands have never met at the FIFA U-20 Women’s
World Cup, the Super Falcons had in September 1991 in Lagos and Akure, Ondo state capital played against KVG Zeit team from Netherlands in two-game international friendlies.
Nigeria lost the two matches on Friday, September13 and Monday, September 16, 1991 respectively.
The high-flying Nigerian U-20 team have even a tougher challenge to surmount when they pit their wits against the Dutch on Sunday by 11:30 p.m Nigerian time at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
The Falconets have been very impressive and one of the most delightful teams to watch in Costa Rica, claiming a perfect three wins out of three at the group stage with
victories over France, South Korea, and Canada which secured them maximum points and the top spot in Group C as well as quarter final ticket.
This is the first time Nigeria’s U-20 women’s team will win their opening three matches in ten appearances across twenty years at the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
However, this fine run will be put to the test on Sunday night by the Netherlands led by 41-year-old Coach Jessica Torny, who have managed the Dutch girls to finish as Group D runners-up behind defending Champions Japan.
With a game plan built on quick passing and sleek movement, it is no surprise that the Netherlands have been one of the tournament’s best-attacking machines, banging in seven goals in three matches.
Only Spain with eight at the group stage have scored more goals than the Oranje Ladies’.
And with Nigeria led by Head Coach Christopher Danjuma Musa
boasting one of the best defences around (conceding just once), an intriguing contest is shaping up in Alajuela tonight.
Pedigree in the competition favours Nigeria. While the Falconets have never missed any edition of the Mundial, the Dutch are making only their second appearance following their debut in 2018.
The Africans, however, have a decent record against European opposition, losing just four of their last ten clashes.
Three of those defeats have been to Germany in the 2010 and 14 final and the other to Spain, with the Falconets outclassing France, England, Spain, Italy, and Finland within that period.
On the other hand, the only African opposition that the Netherlands have faced at the World Cup is Ghana.
Twice they tackled, and twice the Dutch girls triumphed 4-0 in 2018 and 4-1 earlier in Costa Rica on matchday three on August 18.
But Netherlands will meet a strong resistance in a determined Nigerian side as theTwo-time World Cup runners-up will present a stiffer challenge than their West African neighbours Ghana because Nigeria parades quality players in Esther Chinemerem Onyenezide who scored three goals in the group stage and teen wonder girl, Flourish Sabastine who have carried her brilliant World Cup African qualifying form to the championship proper by netting Nigeria’s winner against France.
Onyenezide has become Falconets’ brightest performer in Costa Rica as the young midfielder who plays for FC Robo Queens of Lagos has won two Player-of-the
-Match Awards in the games against Korea and Canada.
Nevertheless, for the Falconets to advance to the semi final they must find a way to keep the Netherlands’ best stars quiet. And they do not come better than FC Twente’s Marit Auée and ADO Den Haag’s Liz Rijsbergen.
These 20-year-old players have scored four goals between them – that’s more than half of the Netherlands’ haul and just one less than the five managed by the Falconets.
This is where Coach Danjuma’s tactical prowess will once again be under scrutiny because this will be a fiercely fought battle between two interesting teams and if passes this test, Nigeria will be as good as playing in the final.
However, the coach has forged the Falconets into a resilient side that does not know how to lose. His girls have avoided defeat in their last ten competitive games since 2021 hence they will be motivated to add the Dutch to their list of conquered Europeans at the World Cup.
This is even as the Netherlands lost to defending Champions Japan in their opening match, a situation which will encourage the Nigerians to go for the jugular of the Dutch ladies because they have been beaten once in Costa Rica while Nigeria is yet to lose a game. A narrow 1-0 defeat of Netherlands is possible in this encounter.
