Falconets head coach Christopher Danjuma has declared that his side will not take their foot off the pedal tonight when they battle Canada in their final Group C fixture at the Costa Rica 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The Nigerian girls won their first two group games against France and South Korea to secure passage to the quarter-finals, and will conclude the first round against Canada at the Estadio Morera Soto in Alajuela tonight (3am tomorrow Nigerian time).
If they beat Canada it will be the first time ever the Falconets will gain three wins from three group games.
Danjuma said his girls need a third straight victory to keep the winning momentum going.
“We would like to make it three wins out of three to maintain a great mental state –the winning mentality,” he said.
“If we are used to winning, it would be difficult for any team to bring us down.”
The coach believes going at full throttle in every game will keep his players on their toes.
“It would be a mistake to reduce our pace and zest simply because we have qualified for the quarter-finals,” Danjuma added.
“The best way to do it, always, is to consider each match as a task that must be accomplished and not slow down. We will still meet tougher teams ahead and the winning mentality is what will sustain us.”
Canada, who hosted the tournament in 2014 when Nigeria reached the final for the second time, are out of the reckoning after losing their first two games to Korea and France, with a deficit of four goals.
With the Falconets safely through, the battle for the second quarter-final spot from Group C is between Korea and France, who face each other at the Estadio Nacional in San Jose at the same time as the Nigeria versus Canada clash.
Korea and France have three points each so it is a winner-takes-all battle.
Midfielder Esther Onyenezide, scorer of the stunner against the Koreans, and forward Flourish Sebastine who netted the winner against France, are expected to be in the thick of the action alongside Chioma Olise, Bashirat Amoo, Joy Jerry and Mercy Idoko against the Canadians.
