In a disappointing turn of events, Nigeria's Falconets were eliminated from the 2024 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup after a 2-1 defeat to Japan in the Round of 16, held on September 13, 2024, in Bogota, Colombia. Japan's Miyu Matsunaga opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, followed by Maya Hijikata, who extended Japan's lead with a goal in the 65th minute. Nigeria managed to pull one back through Olushola Shobowale in stoppage time, but it was not enough to secure a comeback [Legit.ng] [31cb0d57].
Throughout the tournament, Nigeria had shown promise, finishing the preliminary round with 6 points. They secured victories against Korea Republic (1-0) and Venezuela (4-0), but faced a setback with a 3-1 loss to Germany. Despite their exit, the Falconets demonstrated resilience and skill, making their mark in the tournament [Legit.ng] [31cb0d57].
Japan, on the other hand, is now aiming for their first U20 Women's World Cup title since 2018, building on their strong performance against Nigeria. The tournament continues to showcase the rising talent in women's football globally, with teams vying for the prestigious title [Legit.ng] [31cb0d57].