By Victor Enyinnaya on October 24, 2022

By Wednesday our U-17 Women national side will square up against their Colombian counterparts to seek for final ticket for the ongoing under age World Cup football summit holding in India this year.

The exploits of the U-17 girls are significant judging from where the team is coming from since the tournament began. The team has come a long way and thus far has kept going. One would say on itself that determination and focus has been the key in this championship.

The team’s last game and result against the US was so significant in the overall tournament and without much ado that will affect the overall outcome.  The strength of the girls in that quarter final game against the US showed the Nigerians remain a team to watch at the remaining games especially to Nigerian opponents.

Columbia will on Wednesday come all out to stop the giant West African country from further run in the competition but how that would be reality remains to be seen after the anticipated epic game.

No doubt it will be a game to remember if the Nigerians will reenact the kind of form the team displayed in quarter final match against the US team which saw the Flamingos coming from behind to level up the scores which dragged the game into penalties after even score sheet.

We this is yet another team from the kind we knew during preliminary games and honestly it paid off handsomely at the end of the day. The fate has sent fears through the entire remaining teams in the tournament.

That being as it may, such brave outing by Nigerian team no doubt has marked out the team as target of sort to opponents.

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, The Flamingos, yesterday, proved bookmakers wrong by defeating pre-championship favourite, United States of America, in the quarterfinal of the ongoing India 2022 U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The Flamingos won 4-3 on penalty to reach the semi-final, the first time Nigeria would reach the last four in the competition.

The match had ended 1-1 draw at regulation time.

It was the first quarterfinal match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, but was delayed due to adverse weather conditions. The match was about to begin at 4:30 pm, but a loud clap of thunder during the national anthem of Nigeria forced FIFA to delay the kick-off.

It was tagged a battle of David against Goliath.

Nigeria took the lead in the 27th minute when the Video Assistant Referee adjudged that Aminat Omowunmi Bello had been unfairly hacked in the box as Nigeria launched an onslaught. Right back, Omamuzo Edafe, scored from the spot.

The Americans, seeking a place in the last four for the first time in 14 years, were back on level terms 13 minutes later, after an unlucky Comfort Folorunsho diverted a fierce shot at the edge of the area past goalkeeper Faith Omilana.

Efforts by both teams to get more goals were unsuccessful. The Americans were denied by Nigeria’s stout defending with six minutes left when Miracle Usani heaved the ball away after Omilana, had been teased out by Gamero Onyeka.

It went straight into penalties after 90 minutes and Edidiong Etim, Immaculata Offiong, Miracle Usani and Omamuzo Edafe scored for Nigeria, while defender Comfort Folorunsho missed as her kick went over the bar.

Her miss did not matter as America’s Emri blew equally kicked wide and substitute goalkeeper Linda Jiwuaku saved from Bhuta to give Nigeria the day.

The victory somewhat recreated the events of 25th July 2010 in Augsburg, Germany, when the Nigeria U-20 girls defeated their USA counterparts 4-2 on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in a FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup quarter-final match.

With the ticket into the semifinal already secured, The Flamingos will now face the   Colombia on Wednesday, 26^th October.

Meanwhile, we wait!

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted October 24, 2022

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