Africa’s biggest hope for a podium appearance at the ongoing FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals, Nigeria, have returned to the Colombian capital, Bogota, ahead of Friday morning’s Round of 16 clash with Japan.
Japan, one of the strongest forces in women’s football globally, topped Group E, which also included Austria, New Zealand, and one of Africa’s flagbearers, Ghana.
Ghana crashed out of the tournament after losing to Japan and Austria and a narrow win over New Zealand.
The Falconets reached the Round of 16 after pipping the Korea Republic 1-0 and losing 1-3 to Germany, and then earning a fabulous 4-0 win over Venezuela in Cali.
“The girls have worked very hard to get to this stage, and we are proud of their efforts. We will be taking the knockout stages one match at a time.
“I must tell you that we are excited at the prospects of facing Japan and what that brings forth,” Coach Chris Musa Danjuma said on his team’s return to the capital on Monday night.
The clash between Nigeria and Japan will hold at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota, where the Falconets played their first two matches of the group phase against the Korea Republic and Germany, starting at 2 a.m. Nigerian time (8 p.m. Thursday in Colombia) on Friday.
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