2010 Women's U-20 World Cup / Nigeria

The Nigerian team before the quarter-finals against the USA in the Augsburg Impuls Arena .

This article covers the Nigerian U-20 women's national soccer team , known as the “Falconets”, at the 2010 U-20 women's soccer World Cup in Germany.

qualification

The "Falconets" were able to qualify for their fifth World Cup participation in a qualifying tournament between 21 African national teams. The team from West Africa took part in every U-20 women's soccer World Cup.

The two African World Cup participants were determined in the knockout system over four rounds with a round trip. Just like Ghana , the Nigerian U-20 women team won their final pairing and thus qualified for the World Cup finals. The Nigerians impressed with 22 goals in four games against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Contingent

Defender Helen Ukaonu (17) with US striker Maya Hayes

Striker Desire Oparanozie (9) with US defender Kendall Johnson

Trainer: Ndem Egan

No.	position	player	Date of birth (age)	society
1	goalkeeper	Alaba Jonathan	June 1, 1992 (18)	Pelican stars
2	Defense	Blessing Edoho	September 5, 1992 (17)	Rivers Angels
3	Defense	Gloria Ofoegbu	January 3, 1992 (18)	Rivers Angels
4th	midfield	Martina Ohadugha	May 5, 1991 (19)	Rivers Angels
5	midfield	Cecilia Nku	October 26, 1992 (18)	Bayelsa Queens
6th	Defense	Esther Michael	November 16, 1992 (17)	Sunshine Queens
7th	Storm	Esther Sunday	March 13, 1992 (18)	Sunshine Queens
8th	Storm	Ebere Orji	23 December 1992 (17)	Rivers Angels
9	Storm	Desire Oparanoia	December 17, 1993 (16)	Delta Queens
10	midfield	Rebecca Kalu	June 12, 1990 (20)	Delta Queens
11	midfield	Glory Iroka	March 1, 1990 (20)	Rivers Angels
12	goalkeeper	Rabi Ihiabe	December 30, 1992 (17)	Bayelsa Queens
13	Storm	Ngozi Ebere	August 5, 1991 (18)	Rivers Angels
14th	Storm	Soo Adekwagh	July 15, 1992 (17)	Bayelsa Queens
15th	Defense	Joy Jegede	December 16, 1991 (18)	Delta Queens
16	Storm	Amarachi Okoronkwo	December 12, 1992 (17)	Nasarawa Amazons
17th	Defense	Helen Ukaonu	May 17, 1991 (19)	Delta Queens
18th	Storm	Charity Adule	November 7, 1993 (16)	Pelican stars
19th	Storm	Uchechi Sunday	September 9, 1994 (15)	Rivers Angels
20th	Defense	Osinachi Ohale	December 21, 1991 (18)	Delta Queens
21st	goalkeeper	Marbel Egwuenu	December 15, 1991 (18)	Delta Queens

Preliminary round

Pl.	country	Sp.	S.	U	N	Gates	Diff.	Points
1.	Mexico	3	1	2	0	005: 400	+1	05
2.	Nigeria	3	1	2	0	004: 300	+1	05
3.	Japan	3	1	1	1	007: 600	+1	04th
4th	England	3	0	1	2	002: 500	−3	01

With two draws and one win against Japan, Nigeria qualified for the quarter-finals as runners-up in Group C. The "Falconets" showed that they could both catch up and hold an early lead for a long time and that they had more opportunities through counterattacks.

Group C games
Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 11:30 a.m. in Augsburg
England	-	Nigeria	1: 1 (1: 0)
Saturday, July 17, 2010, 3 p.m. in Augsburg
Nigeria	-	Japan	2: 1 (2: 0)
Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 3 p.m. in Bochum
Nigeria	-	Mexico	1: 1 (1: 0)

Final round

Goalkeeper Alaba Jonathan after winning the quarter-finals on penalties

Offensive player Esther Sunday

Nigeria's U-20 team is celebrating the greatest success in team history after reaching the World Cup semi-finals

In the quarter-finals, the Nigerians fought against the favored USA by saving themselves into overtime after 79 minutes with a 1-1 equalizer and showing better nerves in the penalty shoot-out. Even the President of the Nigerian Football Association, Aminu Maigari, was awarded a share of this because he had spoken to coach Egan on the phone at half-time and recommended “don't be afraid of your opponent”. This was the first time they moved into a women's U-20 World Cup semi-finals, after having failed three times in a row in the round of the last eight teams. Coach Egan described the semi-finals as "the greatest success of Nigerian women's football so far", and later it was even said that Africa's women's football was the greatest success.

In the semifinals, Nigeria met another team with Colombia, which was the first time in a U-20 World Cup semifinals. Ebere Orji, nominated by FIFA as a candidate for the election of the best female player (“ Golden Ball ”), took the lead in the 2nd minute and was able to defend the “Falconets” until the final whistle. Their "determination to prevent a goal against" was their greatest asset.

In the final, the "Falconets" lost 2-0 to the hosts from Germany. Despite the early lead by the best player of the tournament, Alexandra Popp, the Nigerians were able to keep the game exciting by temporarily gaining bigger shares. Kim Kulig was only able to secure the decision for the German team in stoppage time. This was the first time that Nigeria became vice world champion in U-20 women's football.

Quarter finals
Sunday, July 25, 2010, 11:30 a.m. in Augsburg
United States	-	Nigeria	1: 1 n.V. (1: 1, 1: 0), 2: 4 i. E.
Semifinals
Thursday, July 29, 2010, 6:30 p.m. in Bielefeld
Colombia	-	Nigeria	0: 1 (0: 1)
final
Sunday, August 1, 2010, 3 p.m. in Bielefeld
Germany	-	Nigeria	2: 0 (1: 0)

Web links

• Nigeria (NGA) In: FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Germany 2010 ( Fifa.com )
• Nigerian Football Association

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Duo causes a sensation . In: Fifa.com , March 1, 2010, accessed July 30, 2010.
2. ↑ ^{a b} Team profile Nigeria . In: Fifa.com , accessed July 29, 2010.
3. ↑ ^{a b} “Falconets” want the really big coup . In: Fifa.com , July 28, 2010, accessed July 30, 2010.
4. ^ Comments on the game USA - Nigeria . In: Fifa.com , accessed July 30, 2010.
5. ↑ List of candidates published . In: Fifa.com , July 28, 2010, accessed July 30, 2010.
6. ↑ For “Falconets” the final dream comes true . In: Fifa.com , July 29, 2010, accessed July 30, 2010.
7. ^ Comments on the game Colombia - Nigeria . In: Fifa.com , accessed July 30, 2010.