FIFA U20 Women World Cup: Nigeria vs Netherlands – Preview, h2h, players to watch as Falconets eye SF berth

The African big will lock horns with the assured Europeans with a ticket to the final 4 at stake

Excessive-flying Nigeria have a tricky problem to surmount after they pit their wits towards the Netherlands within the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA U20 Girls’s World Cup.

The Falconets have been one of the crucial pleasant groups to look at in Costa Rica, claiming an ideal three wins out of three group video games.

Victories over France, South Korea, and Canada secured most factors and the highest spot in Group C for the coach Chris Danjuma Musa-led facet. It’s the first time Nigeria will win their opening three matches in ten appearances throughout twenty years on the World Cup.

However that positive run can be put to the take a look at on Sunday night time by the Netherlands.

Led by 41-year-old coach Jessica Torny, the Dutch ladies completed as Group D runners-up behind defending champions Japan.

With a recreation plan constructed on fast passing and glossy motion, it’s no shock that the Netherlands have been one of many event’s best-attacking machines. Solely Spain (8) have scored extra targets than the Oranje ladies’ seven.

And with Nigeria boasting the most effective defences round (conceding simply as soon as), an intriguing contest is shaping up in Alajuela.

Head-to-head

Nigeria and the Netherlands have by no means met on the U20 World Cup.

Whereas the Falconets have by no means missed any version of the Mundial, the Dutch are making solely their second look following their debut in 2018.

The Africans, nevertheless, have a good file towards European opposition, dropping simply 4 of their final ten clashes.

Three of these defeats have been to Germany and the opposite to Spain, with the Falconets outclassing France, England, Spain, Italy, and Finland inside that interval.

However, the one African opposition that the Netherlands have confronted on the World Cup is Ghana. Twice they tackled, and twice the Dutch ladies triumphed 4-0 in 2018 and 4-1 earlier in Costa Rica on matchday three (August 18).

Two-time World Cup runners-up Nigeria will current a stiffer problem, although, than their West African neighbours.

Gamers to look at

Teen marvel Flourish Sabastine carried her good World Cup qualifying type to the championship correct by netting Nigeria’s winner towards France.

However the Falconets’ brightest performer in Costa Rica has been younger midfielder Esther Onyenezide.

The Robo Queens starlet received two player-of-the-match awards within the video games towards Korea and Canada. She can be Nigeria’s top-scoring participant with three targets in three video games.

For the Falconets to advance, although, they need to discover a approach to maintain the Netherlands’ finest stars quiet.

And they don’t come higher than FC Twente’s Marit Auée and ADO Den Haag’s Liz Rijsbergen.

Each are twenty-year-olds and have scored 4 targets between them – that’s greater than half of the Netherlands’ haul and only one lower than the 5 managed by the Falconets.

Match particulars

Match: FIFA U-20 Girls’s World Cup
Host: Costa Rica
Stage: Quarterfinals
Sport: Nigeria vs. the Netherlands
Venue: Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela
Date: Sunday, August 21
Kick-off time: 11:30 p.m. Nigerian time

Prediction

This can be a fiercely fought battle between two attention-grabbing groups.

The Netherlands misplaced to defending champions Japan, however they’ll take large confidence from thrashing three-time winners United States (3-0).

Nevertheless, coach Chris Danjuma has solid the Falconets right into a resilient facet that doesn’t know how you can lose.

The Nigerian ladies have averted defeat of their final ten aggressive video games since 2021. And they are going to be motivated so as to add the Dutch to their listing of conquered Europeans on the World Cup.

Tip: Nigeria 1-0 Netherlands