Germany 3-1 Nigeria: Germans continue U20 dominance over Falconets in Colombia

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria could not make it two wins out of their first two group games at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after a 3-1 loss to former champions Germany at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo, Bogota, on Wednesday.

Both sides had won their opening games against South Korea and Venezuela, respectively, with an eye on qualification for the knockout stage.

Germany looks like the real deal but will lament a mix-up between goalkeeper and center-back that gifted Nigeria a goal, but Kathrin Peter’s girls got three of their own and could have netted more.

Cora Zicai, boasting pace, power, trickery, and meticulous crossing, is a potent weapon. There’s no shortage of formidable teammates for her to serve. Sehitler, Zdebel, and Ernst were on target, while the all-action Marie Steiner was unlucky not to make the score sheet.

Nigeria can take pride in giving the three-time FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup winners a strict examination. Chiamaka Okwuchukwu was brought into the team and provided most of the tough questions. She almost buried a wonder goal, did get a tap-in, had another chalked off, and frightened the Germans with her speed and skill.

Okwuchukwu will surely retain her place for the showdown with Venezuela.

Germany has now won their last four FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup meetings with Nigeria. Alex Popp inspired a 2-0 victory in the 2010 final, Lena Petermann settled the decider in extra time four years later, and Stefanie Sanders was the solitary scorer in Group D in 2018.

This was just Nigeria’s third loss in their past 24 group matches at the tournament.

They will hope to pick a knockout stage qualification after their last Group D match against Venezuela.

The two-time finalists remained in second position in the group with three points, three points behind Germany and two better than South Korea and Venezuela, which played out a 0-0 draw in their second games.