5 days ago
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Japan edged Nigeria 2-1 in the Round of 16 at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia on Friday morning, preventing the Falconets from qualifying for another quarterfinal outing.
A goal in each half, first by Miyu Matsunaga and then by Maya Hijikata, meant that Olushola Shobowale’s composed finish one minute into time-added-on was too little too late in driving rain at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota.
The tenacious Maya Hijikata came close in the 13th minute, almost capitalising as goalkeeper Faith Omilana came out to punch the ball from a cross, but Comfort Folorunsho was on the line to rescue the situation.
In the 18th minute, Japan came close again when Uno Shiragaki and Manaka Matsukubo missed getting a touch on the ball as Rio Sasaki carved open Nigeria’s defence from a free kick on the right.
Japan would go in front in the 33rd minute, as Matsunaga headed home a cross by Rihona Ujihara.
Four minutes before the break, Nigeria could have levelled when Rofiat Imuran’s in-swinger from the left rattled goalkeeper Akana Okuma, but Maya Hijikata cleared the ball off the line.
Hijikata made it two for Japan in the 66th minute when she drove the ball into the net after a cross from the right by Chinari Sasai. Omilana saved shots from Matsunaga and Suzu Amano in the 77th and 86th minutes, respectively.
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The Falconets made it a tense finish when Shobowale scored in additional time from a cross from the left by substitute Goodness Osigwe, but they could not grab an equaliser to force extra time.
Japan will face Spain in the quarterfinals, in a rematch of the final match of the last edition in Costa Rica two years ago.
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