By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Nigeria’s U-17 women football team, the Flamingos are set to continue to write their fairy tale history in the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India with a victory over Colombia when both meet today in the first semi final match at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Margao Goa by 12 noon in Nigeria.
Germany and Spain will also square up by 3:30pm at the same Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Margao Goa.
The Africans are still bersking in the euphoria of eliminating one of the tournament’s favourite countries, the United States of America (USA) in dramatic fashion to qualify for the first ever semi final stage in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Flamingos’ second choice goalkeeper, Chikamso Linda Jiwuaku was the heroine of the epic encounter with the highly tactical Team USA as she replaced the first choice goalkeeper Faith Omilana in the added time and still kept her nerves to keep out one shot and intimidated a Team USA player to lose another kick while Nigeria lost one to win the quarter final match 4-3.
Although Nigeria team’s Head Coach Olowookere Bankole will not start Jiwuaku in goal today in the crucial match, the match plan will be similar to how the Flamingos played against Team USA hence the same line up is expected to feature except the gaffer wants to tweak a thing to confuse his opponents.
It means that the Flamingos will set up in the 4-3-3 formation with reliable back four led by no nonsense Comfort Folorunsho, Miracle Usani, Josephine Edafe and Tumininu Adeshina.
The midfield trio of stand-in captain Blessing Ngozi Emmanuel, Bisola Mosaku and enterprisingTaiwo Afolabi while the three-pronged attack will be marshalled by
Aminat Bello,
Yetunde Ayantosho and fast-paced Esther Opeyemi Ajakaye
The coach will also at some stage in the match call on the likes of captain
Alvine Dah-Zossu and Edidiong Etim in the attack just as
Chidera Okenwa, Blessing Emmanuel and Mary Aderemi may get their chances at some point in the game.
Others who may get a look in during the match are defender Olamide Oyinlola, Blessing Sunday, Alase Attervall and Immaculata Offiong while the only person who may not warm up is the third choice goalkeeper
Jessica Inyiama except the unexpected happens.
In all, Nigeria’s bench is strong and the coaches have enough weapons in the armoury to do maximum damage to Colombia today even as Nigeria has a better record over Colombia at this level.
Ahead of their semi final clash at the Nehru Stadium in Goa today both teams have enjoyed fine form so far: Nigeria knocked out favourites United States in the quarterfinal on penalties and Colombia showed why they are among the world’s best young sides with a clinical 3-0 demolition of Tanzania.
They’ve met at the U-17 Women’s World Cup before; twice actually, and on both occasions, Nigeria had the last laugh with group-stage wins in Azerbaijan beating Colombia 3-0 in 2012 and Costa Rica 2-1 in 2014.
But Nigerians should be cautiously optimistic as the Colombia Head Coach Carlos Paniagua is saying that Nigeria may not be third time lucky in Goa, saying: “We have a saying in Colombia, it says there’s a third time lucky”.
According to coach Paniagua: “This is going to be our lucky time. The team as a whole is in high spirits, motivated and do not want to let go of this beautiful opportunity to make it to the final. We have travelled so far away from our country and our dream is to return home with the World Cup. But first, we have to go through the semifinal and a team, Nigeria, that has a significant history (at the World Cup).”
However, Nigeria’s Olowookere is optimistic his girls are on the cruise and there is no stopping the moving training just as he has told the world press that the team is in “Cloud 7” for making it thus far.
Said he: “It’s a big joy for us, not just defeating strong United States (in the quarterfinals), but also getting to the semis, which is a huge morale-booster. We have put in a lot of effort to reach here and qualify (for the semis). We qualified from Africa with a good record (won five of their six matches), so not making it far wouldn’t have been good for us”.
There are still much to desire in the quest for the Flamingos to beat Colombia to qualify for the final just to emulate their senior sisters the Falconets who have played in two FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final with the likes of FC Barcelona women’s football team star Asisat Lamina Oshoala; Desire Oparanozie, Francisca Ordega and co being part of the Golden Era.
What Falconets can do, the Flamingos can do better.
Go girls
