1 week Ago By Ernest Victor
Nigeria’s Under-20 women’s team, Falconets, under the guidance of head coach Christopher Danjuma, secured their qualification for the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup round of 16 with two wins and one defeat. Christopher Danjuma’s Falconets secured their place in the next round of the competition after delivering a commanding 4-0 victory over Venezuela in their final group match held at Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali, Colombia. The goals came from Amina Bello in the 16th minute, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu in the 28th minute, Flourish Sabastine (45+5′), and Joy Igbokwe (90+4′).
Falconets’ journey to the knockout stage has been remarkable, with the team securing six points in Group D, finishing as runners-up behind Germany. This achievement marks Nigeria’s 10th qualification for the knockout stage since the competition’s inception in 2002. Coach Danjuma expressed his elation after the match, emphasizing the team’s commitment to showcasing their talents and playing attractive football.
He highlighted the fact that the majority of the players in the squad hail from the local league, demonstrating the depth of talent within Nigeria. “It’s a fantastic feeling, and we don’t want to just win but also to play good football. We have a lot of talents that we want the world to see, and this is an opportunity to see those talents because 90% of them are from the local league; they are not professionals coming from anywhere in Europe,” Christopher Danjuma told FIFA.
com. Note that before Falconets’ 4-0 win over Venezuela, coach Danjuma and his girls recorded a 1-0 win over Korea Republic and a 3-1 loss to Germany. Looking ahead, Nigeria are set to face their yet-to-determined opponents in the round of 16 fixture scheduled for Friday, September 13, at Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota.
As a team that has consistently featured in every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, the Falconets seek to build on their previous achievements, having finished as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, with both losses coming at the hands of Germany..
