Nigeria’s Falconets are set for a high-stakes encounter as they face a formidable Japan side in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Round of 16 this Thursday in Medellin, Colombia, Soccernet.ng reports.
Japan come into the clash as one of the tournament’s most dominant teams, having stormed through Group E with a perfect record, scoring an impressive 13 goals while conceding just one.
Their emphatic performances included a 7-0 thrashing of New Zealand, a 4-1 demolition of Ghana, and a comfortable 2-0 win over Austria.
The Falconets, on the other hand, secured their spot in the knockout stages after finishing second in Group D.
The Nigerian girls earned six points from their three matches, scoring six goals and conceding three.
The Falconets’ 4-0 victory over Venezuela in their final group match was crucial in sending them through to the Round of 16.
Coach Christopher Danjuma’s side showed their firepower in that game, with goals from Amina Bello, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, Flourish Sebastine, and Joy Igbokwe.
“The girls gave everything in the last game. We know Japan will be a tough opponent, but we are ready,” Danjuma said after the game.
While the Falconets have a challenging task ahead, they remain confident as they aim to outplay the rampant Japanese team.
Should they triumph, they will face either Spain or Canada in the quarterfinals. The clash is set to take place on September 13.
