Falconets head coach Christopher Danjuma has admitted that his side face an uphill task when they play The Netherlands in tonight’s Costa Rica 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup quarter-final in Alajuela.
Danjuma is backing his Nigerian girls to reach the last four but is well aware of the strength of the Dutch.
The Netherlands qualified for the quarter-finals as Group D runners-up after beating Ghana and the mighty United States of America with three-goal margins, only losing to defending champions Japan.
“The Dutch are a super-strong squad to have survived that group where the Americans were sent packing,” Danjuma said.
“In any event, any team in the quarter-finals must be a super-strong squad. We will not underrate them, just as we did not underrate any of France, Korea Republic and Canada.
“As I said at the beginning of the tournament, we are taking it one match at a time. Our overall plan for each of the games in the group phase worked well. And I believe that our overall plan for the match against The Netherlands will work as well.”
While the Falconets, who are one of only two teams to win all their group matches in Costa Rica, are aiming for their fourth semi-final, the Netherlands have never reached that stage before.
The match at the Estadio Morera Soto in Alajuela (the same venue where the Falconets beat Korea Republic and Canada) kicks off at 11.30pm Nigerian time tonight.
Midfield starlet Esther Onyenezide, with three goals in the tournament, pacy striker Flourish Sabastine and Blessing Okpe have been impressive for the Falconets in Costa Rica, with the support cast of Mercy Idoko, Deborah Abiodun and Bashirat Amoo as the Nigerians continue their quest for their first title after losing two finals in 2010 and 2014.
