Flawless Falconets: Five observations from Nigeria’s perfect FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup group stage outing

The younger Nigerian ladies have been excellent in Costa Rica, beating each opponent positioned in entrance of them to safe a quarterfinal duel with the Netherlands

The Falconets have been the most effective groups on the 2022 FIFA under-20 World Cup hosted by Costa Rica.

The Nigeria U20 nationwide workforce defeated Canada on matchday three to complete their group stage problem with the utmost 9 factors.

Under are the foremost speaking factors from the Falconets’ flawless group stage journey.

Excellent three in three

The Nigeria U20 girls have featured at each version of the FIFA U20 World Cup, making ten appearances because the match started in 2002.

The Falconets have solely did not make it out of the group stage on simply two events (2002 and 2016) to underline their success on the championship.

Costa Rica 2022 is, nonetheless, the primary World Cup that the Falconets will win all of their three group matches.

Nigeria defeated France, South Korea, and Canada to take a seat on the summit of Group C, qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Solely on two earlier editions have the Falconets completed high of their group on the World Cup.

Nigeria received Group B at Japan 2012 and Group C at Canada 2014 with seven factors from two wins and one attract every case.

The Falconets made it to the semifinals of each editions. The workforce completed as runners-up to Germany in 2014 and in fourth place at Japan 2012.

Sustaining custom

The present set of Falconets has stored on with the dominance of the heaps earlier than them in clashes in opposition to sure opponents.

The Nigeria U20 ladies have by no means misplaced in opposition to the Korea Republic, and the coach Chris Danjuma-led facet made it three straight wins for Nigeria over the Asians with their matchday two triumph in Costa Rica.

The Falconets additionally made it three consecutive victories over Canada on the match. Solely a solitary defeat to the Reds in 2002, on their residence soil, exists on Nigeria’s CV.

Nigeria’s face-off with France on matchday one was the first-ever conflict between the 2 nations at this stage. Nigeria received 1-0 courtesy of a late Flourish Sabastine strike.

Coach Danjuma’s magic wand

The Falconets’ glorious outing in Costa Rica has been a candy shock for a lot of, and a few of the credit score ought to go to educate Christophe Danjuma.

The workforce’s preparation for the World Cup was removed from best; they didn’t even play any pleasant match earlier than their opening sport versus France.

However Coach Danjuma by some means wriggled by way of these challenges to place collectively a workforce that seemed higher coached than the Tremendous Falcons.

The Falconets exhibit composure in protection and look to exert management in midfield whereas creating a great deal of possibilities in assault. The workforce will not be solely a enjoyable facet to observe but in addition one which Nigerians have grow to be happy with.

Kudos, Chris.

The longer term stars are shining brilliant

Osinachi Ohale, Need Oparanozie, Ngozi Okobe, and Asisat Oshoala are family names within the senior nationwide workforce and world soccer.

However a couple of years in the past, they launched themselves to the soccer world on the FIFA U20 Girls’s World Cup.

The following era of Tremendous Falcons stars is being birthed in Costa Rica.

And it’s only a matter of time earlier than Esther Onyenezide, Flourish Sabastine, Oluwatosin Demeyin, and Mercy Idoko, amongst others, grow to be acquainted names within the Tremendous Falcons.

Onyenezide on the cusp of historical past

A type of kids, Esther Onyenezide, is already probably the most prolific Nigerian goalscorers in a single U20 Girls’s World Cup match.

The 19-year-old midfielder has three targets from three video games performed to date.

Onyenezide netted Nigeria’s winner in opposition to South Korea and adopted it up with a brace of penalties within the 3-1 win over Canada.

Solely Asisat Oshoala (7 targets at Canada 2014), Cynthia Uwak (4 targets at Russia 2006), and Francisca Ordega (4 targets at Japan 2012) have scored greater than Onyenezide at any version of the World Cup.

In the meantime, Onyenezide stays within the operating for the highest goalscorer award at Costa Rica 2022.

Solely Spain’s Inma Gabarro (4 targets) has outscored Onyenezide.

Ought to the previous Edo Queens star overtake Gabarro and keep away from others, she would grow to be solely the second Nigeria, after Asisat Oshoala, to win the Golden Boot award.