Falconets Fall 1-3 to Germany in FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup

Falconets Fall 1-3 to Germany in FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup

Nigeria’s under-20 women’s football team, the Falconets, suffered a 1-3 defeat against Germany in their second Group D match at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia. The match took place at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota.

Despite putting up a fight, the Falconets struggled to match Germany’s pace and precision throughout the encounter. Germany’s win propels them to the top of Group D with six points from two matches, while Nigeria remains in second place with three points, following their opening win against South Korea.

Germany opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Alara Sehitler capitalized on a defensive error by the Nigerian side to put her team ahead. Though Nigeria had difficulty finding their rhythm in the first half, the Falconets came back stronger after the break. Chiamaka Okwuchukwu equalized for Nigeria in the 50th minute with a well-taken strike.

However, Germany quickly regained control, with Sofie Zdebel restoring their lead in the 61st minute. Nigeria had a goal disallowed by VAR, which could have changed the course of the game. The Falconets pressed forward in search of an equalizer, but their efforts were undone when Sarah Ernst scored Germany’s third goal, sealing the victory.

Germany’s win ensures a perfect start to their campaign, while Nigeria faces an uphill battle to secure qualification for the Round of 16. The Falconets now look ahead to their final group match against Venezuela on Saturday, where they will need a strong performance to advance to the knockout stages. Germany will face South Korea in their next fixture.