Colombia 2024: Christopher Danjuma braces up to ticket-deciding clash with Burundi

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Head coach of Nigeria’s U-20 women’s team, Christopher Danjuma is not overlooking his side’s deciding FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup Qualifiers return leg against Burundi at the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Saturday.

The Falconets put the country’s one foot in Colombia with a 1-0 defeat of Burundi in the first leg, final round of their FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, a result Danjuma wants to better in Abuja.

“We are not relying on the fact that we won the first leg 1-0. We are playing this match as if it is the final match,” Danjuma told The Super Falcons Show.

“We will qualify by the grace of God. The eventuality of whether we qualify. They know the importance of qualification. I think that is the paramount thing in their mind.”

Janet Akekoromowei’s penalty spot in added time in the first half to give the 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists victory, and the 10-woman Burundians following a red card to defender Ariella Umuarerwa in the first leg.

“Their mentality, understanding, and knowledge of the game I think is quite better than when we started,” he continued.

“I know they are even going to show more resilience and greater depth with what is required from them.”

Both teams will clash again at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, in the final leg of the qualification series.

The winner on aggregate qualifying as one of Africa’s four representatives at this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia.