U-20 Women World Cup: Japan Survive Late Scare To Send Nigeria Home
- Set up Spain re-match in q-finals
- As Falconets lose 1-2 in Bogotá
Two Goals from Miyu Matsunaga and Maya Hijikata saw Japan surviving a late scare to send Nigeria’s Falconets packing from the ongoing Under-20 Women World Cup tournament in Columbia.
In a match decided inside the El Techo Stadium, Bogotá early on Friday morning, the Asian girls held on strongly despite the Nigeria’s fightback to book a quarter-final clash against Spain.
Goals in either half put Japan in control even as Maya Hijikata’s second half strike moved her joint top of the adidas Golden Boot race.
With the victory, Japan have set up a mouth-watering quarter-finals clash with Spain in a re-match of the 2022 finals
On rainy day in Bogota, the 2018 champions were on the front foot from the first whistle and after coming close on numerous occasions, they finally went ahead in the 33rd minute.
No thanks to sloppy defending, Rihona Ujihara set up a cross that an onrushing ‘Player of the Match’ Miyu Matsunaga attacked at the back post to nod home completely unmarked by the Falconets’ defenders.
Rofiat Imuran had Nigeria’s best chance shortly afterwards as she forced a smart save from keeper Akane Okuma but it was the Asian powerhouse that went to the break with the lead, as they have done at every match at Colombia 2024.
In the 66th minute, another shambolic defending gifted Maya Hijikata the opportunity to double the lead midway through the second half as she tucked home a cross from substitute Chinari Sasai at the back post.
That goal has now taken Maya joint-top of the adidas Golden Boot race, and at par with Brazil’s Vendito.
However, Olushola Shobowale did manage to pull one back for Nigeria in stoppage time but the effort came a little too late for redemption as they could not find a second goal, leaving Japan to hang on and close out the 2-1 victory.
