FIFA U-17 Women World Cup: Nigeria, Colombia fight for quarterfinal slots

FIFA U-17 Women World Cup: Nigeria, Colombia fight for quarterfinal slots

The Flamingoes will engage their Colombian counterparts this afternoon at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku in the last group match at the ongoing FIFA Under-17 Women World Cup holding in Azerbaijan.
The Nigerian team needs a draw to berth in the quarterfinals, while the Colombian side must win to book a place among the last eight teams at the third edition of the championship. Nigeria and Canada have four points each after two matches, but the Flamingoes currently top Group A courtesy of their superior goal difference of +12, as against Canada’s +1. Colombia is third with three points, while the host, Azerbaijan, occupies the rear having lost its two previous matches, including Tuesday’s scandalous 11-0 defeat by the Flamingoes.
If the results of the matches played so far are anything to go by, then the Flamingoes should record another victory today. However, the Colombian side is expected to throw everything into the fray to win the encounter and join the Canadian team that is tipped to easily beat the weeping team, Azerbaijan, to claim one of the available two tickets from the group for the quarterfinals. Prominent among the players expected to fire Nigeria into the round of eight include striker Chinwendu Ihezuo, who scored five goals and made three assists in Tuesday’s 11-0 demolition of Azerbaijan to emerge the Man-of-the-Match.
Ihezuo had earlier rescued Nigeria with a point in the 1-1 draw against Canada in the first group match after Canada had taken the lead in the early minutes of the game. Other players expected to ensure Nigeria’s passage to the quarterfinals include Halimat Ayinde, who scored twice against Azerbaijan, Effiom, Tessy Biahwo and Joy Bokiri, all who got on the scorers’ sheet against Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Coach Peter Dedevbo has assured that the Flamingoes would neither underrate the Colombian side nor allow the comprehensive victory against Azerbaijan to get into their heads.
“When we arrived in Azerbaijan for the tournament, I told my girls not to underrate any team. This could be seen in the way we approached each of our matches so far. “I thank God and my girls for the victory, but we will not let this get into our heads. We will continue to apply the same approach to every game,” he assured ahead of today’s decisive encounter against Colombia.