Colombia 2024: Falconets begin two-week final camping in Bogota

Nigeria’s Under-20 women’s team, the Falconets, began a two-week final camp on Sunday in Bogota, Colombia, ahead of the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup finals.

Ademola Olajire, the communications director at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), made this known in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

The Under-20 World Cup is scheduled for Columbia from 31 August to 22 September.

The Falconets, who defeated Tanzania and Burundi on an aggregate score, also reached the semi-finals in Japan 12 years ago.

They made the quarterfinals in 2006, 2018, and 2022 and grabbed one of Africa’s tickets in the tournament’s final round.

The Coach Christopher Danjuma-led team spent four weeks in the first phase of their final camp in Abuja. They won a series of friendly games during this time, losing only once.

”I want to thank the NFF for arranging the two-week camp in Colombia.

”This will go a long way toward helping the team, as the players will acclimatise very well and get familiar with their surroundings before the championship begins.

”I assure you that we will make the best use of this opportunity,” Danjuma told thenff.com on Saturday, hours before the team was to fly out of the country to Istanbul aboard a Turkish Airlines flight en route to Bogota.

The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan-Enoh, met with the team on Friday and charged them to go for the ultimate prize, having previously won silver medals and been in the semi-finals once.

”Your predecessors have done well, reaching the final of the competition on two occasions and making the semi-finals once.

”It is time for you to take our country further by winning the trophy.

”I commend the NFF for arranging the two-week final camping for you in Colombia that will enable you to acclimatise very well before the tournament.

”The government and the people of this great country are with you, and I am confident that you will not disappoint.,” he said.

The Falconets are in Group D alongside Germany, Venezuela, and the Korean Republic.

Nigeria’s first match is against the Korean Republic at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota on 1 September. Three days later, they will face Germany at the same venue.

Their last group match is against Venezuela at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali on 7 September.

With the field expanded to 24 teams, Africa boasts four countries: Nigeria, Morocco, Cameroon, and Ghana. Matches will take place in four venues in three different cities: Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali.

There will be two venues in Bogota: Estadio El Campín and Estadio Metropolitano de Techo. Other venues are the Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín and the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali.

NAN