Japan Defeats Nigeria to Secure Semifinal Spot in FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup

The Japanese U20 women’s national team triumphed over Nigeria with a 2-1 victory in the quarterfinals of the 2024 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup. The match took place in Bogota, Colombia, as reported by BSNSports.com.ng.

The game commenced at 2:00 am Nigerian time, held at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo. The Japanese team showcased superior tactics with swift passing maneuvers, effectively penetrating the Nigerian defense.

Both teams began the match energetically, maintaining a strong presence for the initial 30 minutes. Miyu Matsunaga opened the scoring for Japan in the 33rd minute, providing them with a 1-0 advantage at halftime.

In the second half, despite high expectations, the Nigerian Falconets struggled to breach the Japanese defense. Japan doubled their lead in the 65th minute with a goal by Maya Hijikata.

Olushola Shobowale managed to revitalize Nigeria’s hopes by scoring a goal in the 91st minute, just three minutes after her entry into the match. However, this effort was insufficient as Nigeria, the 2010 and 2014 finalists, exited the tournament, succumbing 1-2 to Japan’s impressive performance.