U-17WWC Match Preview: Nigeria’s Flamingos Battle Colombia For Final Spot

Nigeria’s Flamingos take on Colombia for a spot in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup holding in India.


This is Flamingos first time of reaching the semi-final. Twitter@NGSuperFalcons
This is Flamingos’ first time reaching the semi-final. Twitter@NGSuperFalcons

 

Nigeria’s Flamingos take on Colombia for a spot in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup holding in India.

The Nigerians defeated the US 3-4 via penalties last week to book the tie with the South Americans who on the other hand beat Tanzania.

Wednesday’s game is Nigeria’s first semi-final match at the age-grade competition having previously reached the quarterfinals three times.

Before the game at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa, the Flamingos were runners-up in Group B of the competition. They lost to Germany in their first match, dispatched New Zealand, and defeated Chile to earn a last-eight ticket.

READ ALSO: Jesus Asks Arsenal To ‘Wake Up’ After Southampton Draw

Nigeria’s opponent will also be playing in the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since the inception of the championship.

On four successive occasions, they exited the tournament in the group stage. They are also not new to the Flamingos having lost 3-0 to them at the group stage of the 2012 edition in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Two years later, the Nigerian ladies edged them 2-1 in a Group D tie at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica.

The losses mean Colombia will eye revenge when they file out against the Flamingos but Nigeria’s coach Bankole Olowookere insists his girls are in for the crown.

“We can do more and that is how I tell my girls, we have done well reaching this stage, but we can do better,” he told NFF TV ahead of the match.

“We are in the semi-finals and who says we can’t get to the final? We are putting our strategy together and with the help of God we will play in the final, and that is the expectation of millions of Nigerians.”

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ibrahim Gusau had earlier visited the team in India to boost their morale ahead of the game.

Nigeria Vs Colombia U-17 World Cup Match Time

The Flamingos of Nigeria game with Colombia will take place at 12 noon (WAT) on Wednesday, 26 October 2022.