*** Nigeria, Germany chase Bronze
By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
After nearly three weeks of football hostility, the curtains will fall on 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India as defending champions Spain clash with Colombia at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on Sunday, October 30, by 7:30 pm local time.
The epic match will come up immediately after the Nigeria versus Germany third-place tie which will kick off at the same stadium by 4: 30 local time.
The current champion, Spain, which won her first title at the 2018 tournament in Uruguay, will be gunning to win the title the second time to join North Korea as the only two countries to have won the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy twice in history.
Spain has also finished in the second place in Costa Rica in 2014 while the country came third twice in 2010 in Trinidad and Tobago and in 2016 in Jordan.
Also, North Korea won Gold in 2008 in New Zealand and 2016 in Jordan just as the country finished second in 2012 Azerbaijan and fourth place in 2010 in Trinidad and Tobago.
The above statistics showed clearly that Spain is a serious contender going into the Saturday’s final slated for DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on Sunday, October 30, 2022.
To qualify for the final, Spain beat Germany 1-0 in the semi final match courtesy Lucia Corrales who turned a super-sub as her late goal ensured that her country
downed a resolute Germany in the second semi final match of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday.
Colombia on the other hand qualified for the final the hard way after they were dragged to the penalty shoot-out against Nigeria with goalkeeper Ana-Maria Guzman making two great saves in the game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium last Wednesday, to book a spot for the country in the final of the 2022 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup for the first time ever.
At the end of the 16 penalty thriller, Colombia scored six while Nigeria scored five kicks to end the match on 6-5 goals.
Meanwhile, the third place match between Nigeria and Germany will be keenly contested because both countries will like to end the tournament on high by working hard to win the classification match on Sunday.
Interestingly, both nations know each other well as they recently met in the group stage of the competition with the first match ending on 2-1 in favour of Germany.
However, Nigeria will seek for a revenge and Flamingos Head Coach Olowookere Bankole will restore first-choice goalkeeper, Faith Omilana who made a total of seven wonderful saves to force the game against Colombia to go into penalty shoot-out.
Prompt News Online can confirm that others that will return to the line up are Omamuze Edafe and Comfort Folorunsho who lost their kicks against Colombia; Olamide Oyinlola and Miracle Usani.
Also to feature in the match are midfielders,
Blessing Emmanuel, Bisola Mosaku, Taiwo Afolabi and forwards Omowunmi Bello, Opeyemi Ajakaye and Alvine Dah-Zossu.
Whatever happens in the match, the Flamingos have created their own history as Nigeria will be recorded in the FIFA archives as reaching the last four of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the year 2022.
21 Flamingos players in India
Goalkeepers
Faith Omilana; Linda Jiwuaku; Jessica Inyiama
Defenders
Olamide Oyinlola; Josephine Edafe; Comfort Folorunsho; Miracle Usani; Tumininu Adeshina; Blessing Sunday; Alase Attervall; Immaculata Offiong
Midfield
Chidera Okenwa; Blessing Emmanuel; Mary Aderemi; Bisola Mosaku; Taiwo Afolabi
Forward
Omowunmi Bello; Opeyemi Ajakaye; Edidiong Etim; Alvine Dah-Zossu; Yetunde Ayantosho
