Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sexy Soccer World Cup Fans 2010
Sexy Soccer World Cup Fans 2010
Kulig: We're nearly there
It certainly does! It takes something to score five goals. Our performance against the Koreans was ok. We were solid at the back and we always look like scoring goals when we go forward, anyone can see that.You’ve certainly lived up to expectations as host nation with the way you’ve cruised into the final. What makes this German team so special?
You could see right from the start of the tournament that we were playing as a team. We’ve also managed to improve, tactically and in terms of fitness from match to match. I think that people can see that we’re really on a roll at the moment. I hope that we can carry this through to the final – that’s the one goal we have left, and it’s a big one!You are one of the more experienced players, having already won 18 caps at full international level. Is the final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup still something special for you though?
I have to say that I was delighted to play in a U-20 World Cup semi-final, since I was suspended for the corresponding match in Chile two years ago. I can’t put into words how I feel at making it into the final. We’ve got through, and that was our main aim right from the start. Now we have the chance to show what we’re made of. The crowd will be right behind us, we’re playing in Bielefeld and we are incredibly proud of the fact that so many fans have been coming to our matches and cheering us on.How are you feeling ahead of Sunday’s final in Bielefeld?
The best part of it is that we all get on so well together. A lot of us know each other from back when we played U-15s together and it’s great that we’re all still together at the U-20 World Cup. There are players with experience, some have even won the Champions League, and we all just get along with each other. Everything’s in place. It’s not the case with us that you have three or four players who dictate everything. Each individual on the pitch has a role to play, and so do those who come on with fresh legs. We’re just incredibly flexible. Every player in the squad has a legitimate case for being in the starting line-up, which makes us unpredictable.How do you rate your opponents, Nigeria?
Nigeria are an African team, and it’s never easy playing against teams like them. We faced Congo DR back in Chile. The matches tend to be tough battles, since the Africans are very quick and athletic. Nigeria are a really good team and they deserve their place in the final.You scored twice in the semi-final. Was it the ideal moment for you to make a statement?
I was obviously delighted to make a contribution to our semi-final win, and secondly it was a great weight off my shoulders to score. At the end of the day though, it was a good team performance and it really doesn’t matter who scores the goals.You got off to a slow start in the tournament, but then you gradually started imposing yourself on the defensive midfield. Would you describe your two goals against Korea Republic as a breakthrough?
Absolutely! I struggled in the build-up to the World Cup since I was feeling pretty flat. The matches were all very tough but now I can see that I was gradually improving my fitness. I feel fresher and it‘s true that I’m performing better out on the pitch. I just hope that I’ve got another 90 good minutes in me for the final.You’re one of the top players meaning that more is expected of you. How are you all preparing for the big showdown? Does the team feel ready?
We’re all experienced players and we can give each other the support we need. We try to do everything exactly the same and we’re a superstitious bunch. We’ll obviously all talk about the final together though. The title is ours to lose now – we’ve earned it
source: http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup
Colombia looking on the bright side
Colombia’s hopes of lifting the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Germany 2010 evaporated when they were beaten 1-0 by Nigeria in Bielefeld in Thursday’s semi-final. Ebere Orji’s strike after just 92 seconds tilted the game irrevocably in the Falconets’ favour, despite the best efforts of Las Cafeteras to pull level. The tears of Yorely Rincon, the Ariza twins and Lady Andrade, who missed the game through suspension, summed up the desolation felt by the South Americans at the final whistle, their dream of advancing to the final on their tournament debut having vanished before their very eyes.
“We are very sad,” captain Natalia Gaitan said in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com, describing the despondent mood in the Colombia camp. “We wanted to reach the final and be the champions but unfortunately it just wasn’t to be. We switched off in defence for a split second and that cost us dear. And though we created a couple of good chances we couldn’t manage to take them.”
To their credit, however, the Colombians tried to shrug off the disappointment of defeat quickly, enjoying a singsong as they vacated their dressing room on Thursday, an indication of the pride they are taking in their performances at Germany 2010. Another reason for them not to be too downbeat is that their tournament is still not over, with a place on the podium at stake when they take on Korea Republic in Sunday’s match for third place.
“We came here to do Colombia proud and to battle to the end,” continued the skipper. “We’ve been doing really well up to now and we want to set the seal on what we’ve done here by beating the South Koreans and taking third.”
Well worth the effort
Gaitan has witnessed at first hand the steady progress Colombian women’s football has made in recent years. Having dreamed of making her way in the game from an early age, she stepped up from her local club to the Bogota team and from there to the national U-17 side that won the 2008 South American championships.
That success earned Las Cafeteras a place in their first international finals, the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2008, an achievement they followed up by finishing runners-up in the continental U-20 championships this March. And having made it to Germany 2010, they have continued to chart new territory over the last three weeks.
“We’ve spent the last three years together,” added Gaitan, explaining the secret of their success. “We know each other well, on and off the pitch, and we’ve shared a lot of things, a lot of dreams. Since winning the U-17 championship we have matured a lot and here we are today. We believe in ourselves and in the work we are doing.”
She and her team-mates realised early on in the tournament that they had it in them to achieve something big: “When we played Costa Rica [in their final group match] we knew we could go far. This is the first time we’ve played in an U-20 World Cup and to reach the last eight on our debut was a big thing. It gave us all the encouragement we needed to keep on improving and get the very best out of ourselves.”
As the Colombians’ efforts in Germany have shown, their three years of dedication and sacrifice have paid off. All that remains for them to do now is to round it off with a bronze medal. “The Nigeria game is history now,” she said, ending on an upbeat note. “All we are thinking about now are the South Koreans. We are going to do everything we can to win our last game. We really want to go out in style.source: http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup
Final task awaits confident Nigeria
The Nigeria team who will contest Sunday’s final of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup against Germany are proving the talk of their country back home, but coach Ndem Egan thinks his girls can withstand the stress of the big event and lift the trophy on Sunday afternoon.
With even Nigeria’s president and first lady counted as high-profile supporters, there is certainly more attention on the Falconets than was expected at the start of the tournament. But the west Africans have a solid pedigree in women’s football, and Egan says the current squad are taking great strength from their performances so far in the finals.
source: http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcupTwo surprise packages vie for bronze
Despite the bitter disappointment of losing their respective semi-finals, the two teams contesting the match for third place at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2010 can hold their heads high. Both Colombia, in their maiden appearance at this tournament, and Korea Republic, who got off to a flying start here in Germany, surprised fans and experts alike by making it through to the final four.
On Sunday in Bielefeld, the two teams will be looking to make a little bit of history by securing their first podium finish at the event. One Korean player who will not need any motivation for the game is Ji So-Yun, who remains in the running for the adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament’s top scorer. The striker is currently in second place on seven goals and needs two more to draw level with Germany forward Alexandra Popp.
The big game
Korea Republic-Colombia, Bielefeld, Sunday, 12.00 (local time)
This match promises to be an veritable treat for football fans. While Choi In-Cheul’s team have shone throughout the tournament with their teamwork and slick passing, Ricardo Rozo’s squad has perhaps showcased more talented individuals. That said, there are plenty of technically gifted footballers on both sides, with Korea‘s Ji constantly catching the eye and Colombia’s Lady Andrade - who returns after missing their semi-final defeat by Nigeria because of suspension - giving opposition defences plenty to think about.
This will be the first time that these two countries have met in the women’s game. However, it will be the eighth occasion in this tournament that Asian and South American teams have faced each other. To date there is nothing to choose between the two confederations, with three wins apiece and one draw. South America has more experience when it comes to the third place match, though, with Brazil fighting for a spot on the podium three times between 2002 and 2006. Korea Republic, on the other hand, are the first Asian team to be involved in this fixture. The tie should be an entertaining one if previous editions are anything to go by – an average of 3.25 goals have been scored in previous third-place games, and twice in the past (2002 and 2006) they had to be decided on penalties.
The stat
3 – Three of the seven goals which Colombia have scored at Germany 2010 have come after the 80th minute, a trend the South Koreans will doubtless be aware of.
The quote
"Women’s football is coming on in leaps and bounds and is taking on more significance at international level," Choi In-Cheul, Korea Republic coach.
Friday, July 30, 2010
World Cup 2010 Wallpapers
Nigeria plot a final surprise
It was a fair guess three weeks ago that Germany, tournament hosts and one of the undoubted powerhouses of women’s football, would reach the final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2010. Few, however, would have predicted that Nigeria, representatives of an African continent which had never before sampled life beyond the quarter-finals of any FIFA Women’s World Cup or Olympic Games, would be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them. Sunday’s final in Bielefeld is therefore full of intrigue and fascination.
After 30 games, we have reached the climax with the host nation willing their team on and hoping to add a second youth title - they were also victorious in Thailand in 2004 - to the FIFA Women’s World Cup they lifted for a second successive time in China 2007. And those who would like to see a new name inscribed on the trophy, and the impetus for a huge forward push for the African women’s game, will be firmly on the side of the Falconets.
The match
Germany-Nigeria, Bielefeld, Sunday, 15:00 (local time)
On one side, you have the free-scoring German attack who have ransacked defences to the tune of 18 goals so far in this tournament with their penalty-box princess, Alexandra Popp, accounting for half of those. By contrast, Nigeria have struck only six times in their five matches and are the lowest-scoring finalists this competition has ever known.
However, the west Africans are able to defend their goal with all their might, conceding just four goals in five games and never more than one per game. That includes the full 120 minutes against USA, who were one of the strongest attacking teams on display.
It’s likely that Germany, winners in all their five games while Nigeria were held to draws in two of their three group games, will dominate possession through their midfield star Kim Kulig and playmaker Dzsenifer Marozsan. Against them, Nigeria are sure to close defensive ranks and look to break out quickly through the speedy Ebere Orji and Glory Iroka, with the aim of enabling Desire Oparanozie to power in on goal.
The sides have met once before at youth level and on that occasion it needed a penalty shootout to separate them. In the 2004 quarter-final, Germany grabbed an 86th-minute equaliser from Anja Mittag to force extra-time and she also scored the fifth and decisive penalty, with Nigeria missing one of theirs.
The stat
18- The average minute when Germany register their first goal. On three occasions they have scored inside the first 15 minutes. They were slowest off the mark in their quarter-final against Korea DPR, scoring in the 43rd minute.
The quote
"We are not worried about all the goals Germany have scored in this World Cup because it depends on who they are playing against. Sometimes you face a team who don’t allow you any chances and I am pleased with my defenders,” Ndem Egan, Nigeria coach.
Two surprise packages vie for bronze
Despite the bitter disappointment of losing their respective semi-finals, the two teams contesting the match for third place at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2010 can hold their heads high. Both Colombia, in their maiden appearance at this tournament, and Korea Republic, who got off to a flying start here in Germany, surprised fans and experts alike by making it through to the final four.
On Sunday in Bielefeld, the two teams will be looking to make a little bit of history by securing their first podium finish at the event. One Korean player who will not need any motivation for the game is Ji So-Yun, who remains in the running for the adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament’s top scorer. The striker is currently in second place on seven goals and needs two more to draw level with Germany forward Alexandra Popp.
The big game
Korea Republic-Colombia, Bielefeld, Sunday, 12.00 (local time)
This match promises to be an veritable treat for football fans. While Choi In-Cheul’s team have shone throughout the tournament with their teamwork and slick passing, Ricardo Rozo’s squad has perhaps showcased more talented individuals. That said, there are plenty of technically gifted footballers on both sides, with Korea‘s Ji constantly catching the eye and Colombia’s Lady Andrade - who returns after missing their semi-final defeat by Nigeria because of suspension - giving opposition defences plenty to think about.
This will be the first time that these two countries have met in the women’s game. However, it will be the eighth occasion in this tournament that Asian and South American teams have faced each other. To date there is nothing to choose between the two confederations, with three wins apiece and one draw. South America has more experience when it comes to the third place match, though, with Brazil fighting for a spot on the podium three times between 2002 and 2006. Korea Republic, on the other hand, are the first Asian team to be involved in this fixture. The tie should be an entertaining one if previous editions are anything to go by – an average of 3.25 goals have been scored in previous third-place games, and twice in the past (2002 and 2006) they had to be decided on penalties.
The stat
3 – Three of the seven goals which Colombia have scored at Germany 2010 have come after the 80th minute, a trend the South Koreans will doubtless be aware of.
The quote
"Women’s football is coming on in leaps and bounds and is taking on more significance at international level," Choi In-Cheul, Korea Republic coach.
Early strike proves a winner for Nigeria
Nigeria became the first African team to reach the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final as they overcame Colombia with a second minute goal in Bielefeld. They will now face Germany in the same stadium on Sunday with the host nation easing past Korea Republic to give themselves a chance to lift the trophy for the second time.
The South American team gave their all as rain fell making conditions difficult for their passing game. They were restricted to few opportunities by the powerful Falconets who seized on their early chance and then produced a solid, organised performance to delight their tuneful band of supporters who gradually drowned out both the Colombian cheerleaders and also a rival German band.
The match got off to a remarkable start as Nigeria went a goal to the good inside the opening two minutes. What appeared little more than a hopeful punt upfield from captain Joy Jegede, who was standing just inside the opposition half, with the ball landing in the penalty area where the high bounce took it over goalkeeper Paula Forero and against the crossbar. Only Ebere Orji was alive to the possibilities and she scored easily from the rebound without pressure.
Stung into action, Colombia looked for an immediate reply. Yorely Rincon, their most important performer in the absence through suspension of Lady Andrade, tried her luck from outside the area while Daniela Montoya was no closer as she took aim a little later.
A better chance for the South Americans came as a corner was flicked on and fell to captain Natalia Gaitan at the far post. By the time she had the ball under control the angle was tight and with several defenders standing in the way the shot was deflected and fell kindly to a Nigeria player.
More pressure followed as Colombia worked the ball neatly to their front players. This time Rincon's shot rose inches over the bar. Then suddenly the pacy west African were striding away on the counter-attack. Esther Sunday’s pass invited Desire Oparanozie to chase and she just got to the ball ahead of the goalkeeper. Natalia Gaitan was back to cover but didn’t get her clearance away and that put Oparanozie back in charge with the goal gaping before she tumbled over Gaitan and fell to the ground with penalty claims waved away.
It remained an even struggle in the second half with both teams struggling to carve out clear opportunities. Nigeria threatened through Desire Oparanozie who muscled her way through and saw a dangerous cross earn a corner. Orji, an impressive performer from first to last, worked a crossing chance which Natalia Ariza missed but Oparanozie could not take advantage.
As the half wore on however Colombia grew in belief and nearly succeeded in pegging their opponents back. In the 73rd minute substitute Katerin Castro, who had proved an effective substitute, fired a fierce effort which the Nigeria goalkeeper struggled to field cleanly.
That was followed by a narrow escape for Nigeria as an outstanding drive from Rincon some way from goal beat goalkeeper Alaba Jonathan only for the ball to come back off the bar with no one on hand to profit from the rebound.
The game ended with chances at both ends, Orji forcing the ball over from Oparanozie's pull-back while Jonathan was grateful to hold onto a cross with Colombia's forwards waiting to take advantage.
source:http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcupGermany and Nigeria into the final
THE DAY REPLAYED - The two teams who will contest the final of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup 2010 became clear after Thursday's two semi-finals. While hosts Germany won the first with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Korea Republic, Nigeria were made to sweat during a close-fought 1-0 success against Colombia.
As in Saturday's quarter-final win over Korea DPR, Maren Meinert's German outfit again turned on the fireworks against Asian opponents, all but sewing up their place in Sunday's showdown within the opening half hour. A goal from Svenja Huth and two from Kim Kulig had given the last remaining European side a comfortable lead at the midway point, before a double within the first three minutes of the second period from the tournament's top scorer Alexandra Popp rounded off a memorable performance.
The 19-year-old Popp was once again in red-hot form as she bumped her tally up to nine goals in five matches, although the race for the adidas Golden Boot is far from over. Korea Republic starlet Ji So-Yun, whose seventh of the tournament proved scant consolation for the AFC outfit, could still catch up in the match for third place.
The second semi-final between Nigeria and Colombia was a far tenser affair. The match got off to an extraordinary start when the Africans took the lead just two minutes in, but Ndem Egan's charges were forced to endure wave after wave of South American attacks as the match wore on. However, the Falconets held on to continue their magnificent run at Germany 2010 and become the first African team to reach the final of a FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
Semi-final results
Germany 5-1 Korea Republic
Colombia 0-1 Nigeria
Click on the links on the right for full reports on all these games.
Goal of the day
Germany 5-1 Korea Republic, Ji So Yun, 67 mins
With over an hour gone and the scoreline reading 4-0 in favour of the Germans, the South Koreans were down and out. Yet the Asian attacking marvel still found inspiration to net a superb consolation. Following a misplaced pass from Kristina Gessat, the 19-year-old received the ball around 25 metres from goal before embarking on a spectacular solo run which took her past three defenders and culminated in a curling effort that left Germany goalkeeper Almuth Schult with no chance. It was a goal which again underlined the quality of the Korean No10.
Memorable moments
Swimming celebration
The Germany players had clearly spent time thinking about how they would celebrate their opening goal. When Huth put the hosts in front, the majority of the team ran towards the dugout and began mimicking swimming exercises, much to the amusement - and bafflement - of the Bochum crowd.
Hammer blow
Fans at the Bielefeld World Cup Stadium had barely found their seats when the net rippled for the game's opening goal. With less than a minute and a half gone, Nigeria captain Joy Jegede sent a long, searching ball forward. The ball bounced awkwardly over Colombian goalkeeper Paula Forero and rebounded off the crossbar. Ebere Orji was the first to react, tucking home what proved to be the decisive goal.
The stat
0 - Colombia failed to score for the first time in five matches at Germany 2010 when they bowed out in the last four against Nigeria.
The next games
Match for third place, Sunday, 1 August, 12.00 (local time)
Korea Republic - Colombia
Final, Sunday, 1 August, 15.00 (local time)
Germany - Nigeria
Have your say
Can Nigeria stop the hosts and claim their maiden FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup title, or will the Germans complete a summer fairytale on home turf? Click on 'Add Comment' to share your views with FIFA.com users from all over the world.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Cafetera twins not lacking ambition
Colombia’s run to the semi-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is an achievement built on self-belief and determination. In their maiden appearance in the tournament Las Cafeteras have defied expectations to reach a stage of the competition that only two other debutants have attained before: 2006 winners Korea DPR and 2004 runners-up China PR.
Two players who symbolise the courage and fighting spirit of the South Americans are the Ariza twins, Natalia and Tatiana. The elder by a mere five minutes, Natalia, forms one half of a central defensive partnership with team captain Natalia Gaitan, while Tatiana, the scorer of one of the goals that gave the Colombians victory over Sweden in the quarter-finals, has struck up a productive midfield partnership with Yorely Rincon.
'No doubts'
“We’ve been disciplined in training, we’ve kept on working hard, and we’ve got our reward by qualifying for the World Cup and reaching the semi-finals,” says Tatiana, clearly proud of her side’s progress in Germany. “We’ve trained really hard on the pitch and in the gym to get here in good physical condition. We never had any doubts about our chances and, even though we were drawn in a tough group with Germany and France, we were able to pull through.”
“We know we haven’t achieved anything yet,” adds sister Natalia. “The game coming up against Nigeria is the most important one yet, and we’ll be using our style and technique on the ball to counter the speed and strength of the Africans. We’ve been able to get past some strong teams so far by playing the ball on the ground. We know we can produce some good football.”
Colombia’s performances to date have been a source of pleasure for Natalia: “Our parents have told us that people back home have really been getting behind the national team. They’re watching all the games and they’re supporting us like we’re the full national side. And now that we’ve reached the semis, I’m sure they’ll be rooting for us even more. On top of that a lot of the Colombian people who live here in Germany have been coming to watch us. They’ve kept cheering us on and we want them to feel proud of us and to remember us.”
Colombian ambition
Inseparable since the day they were born and currently playing for Liga Bogota, Natalia and Tatiana have always been there for each other, never more so than when the younger of the two underwent an operation for a heart murmur.
That togetherness has also come in useful during their football careers. “We’ve been side by side all our lives,” they say. “That’s a great support for us and having each other around is a big help. What counts in this team though is being part of a group.”
The two have achieved much with their country, being included in the teams that won the 2008 South American Women’s U-17 Championship, took part in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2008, and finished runners-up in the continental U-20 championship.
The Ariza twins face many more exciting challenges in the future, not least their imminent footballing scholarships in the USA. Before that, however, comes a date with destiny against Nigeria on Thursday, one the siblings are looking forward to with relish as they seek to keep Colombia’s unlikely title charge on course.
source:http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcupReward for possession play
The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is approaching its climax with the two semi-finals taking place on Thursday. FIFA.com caught up with April Heinrichs, a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group and USA’s national team coach between 2000-2005, to discover the TSG view of what has taken place so far.
FIFA.com: Germany 2010 is generally considered to have been a successful tournament so far. Is that also the view of the TSG?
April Heinrichs: Definitely. We have been extremely impressed with the speed, agility and quickness of the players in this tournament. Overall the physical qualities and psychological maturation is higher here than we have seen at previous youth World Cups. So the players are making that transition from girlhood to womenhood that much quicker and we are seeing players here who will soon step up to the senior level. Germany has two or three and Nigeria three to five players, if not more, who are as good as their full national team players. As the game develops the players are older and older at this level and more mature at this level. Teams are not picking a 16 or 17-year-old because they don’t have any 20-year-olds but because the 16 or 17-year-olds are good enough.
What are the positive trends you’ve noticed at Germany 2010?
Firstly, it’s good to see the possession-orientated teams advancing. With the exception of Japan and Korea DPR, the teams most adept at possession comprise the four semi-finalists. Germany can play direct when they want to but that’s by choice because they can slice you open like a hot knife through butter, with one direct but purposeful ball. Nigeria can also be direct but with dynamism. The reliance on possession reflects the psychological maturity and also indicates the preparation the teams have gone through before they arrive at the tournament and in that regard we are pleased because we are seeing some pretty fine football here. And the players have been rewarded for their excellent football both in the attendances and the way the fans have responded to their play.
What about the two semi-finals on Thursday? How interesting are those match-ups?
It’s very exciting that we have three new semi-finalists which can only be positive for the game. And I think what is really fascinating is that if you pick any one of the four teams and pair them with the team that is most similar to them, that is the match we have. The Korea Republic are technically gifted and agile working with the ball, and are an extremely competent group of women who really deserve to be in the semi-finals. Both teams will have the ball a lot in this game and what is interesting is that Germany are not accustomed to periods when they don’t have the ball. They may have to spend time chasing it and that can be exhausting. So suddenly Germany could be under more pressure than they’ve been before.
I have to be a little bit more circumspect talking about Colombia because I haven’t seen them live but they look incredibly competent and like to dictate the play. Both Colombia and Nigeria share a possession-orientated style and they will not deviate from that. But there are a few unknown aspects to this game. Will Colombia continue to rise as the pressure increases? Will Nigeria be able to recover from their greatest win in women’s football and still retain their composure? And how well will they do under pressure, the real pressure that does not come into play until the semi-finals?
Nigeria are the best team I have seen from that country in ten years of watching them at world events. They have all the classic qualities of Nigerian teams: great tackling and physical presence and unbelievable speed but they are more disciplined as well. They are physically superior to any team in the tournament and they are really sold on their roles and their commitment to that role. There doesn’t seem to be a superstar in the team and there’s a sense that they abide by that old saying: ‘none of us is smarter than all of us’. Against the US, the second half was where the story of the game turned and Nigeria showed they could adapt and learn quickly.
Is there anything different you’ve noticed about the coach’s role at this tournament and the impact they have on their teams?
What I’ve noticed is that the coaches have demonstrated a better knowledge of their players in advance of the tournament. Quite often we've seen a coach start with one line-up, and then make many changes for the second game and then again for the third. There has been less of that at Germany 2010 than ever before so coaches are not using the tournament to identify their best players and their best system of play. And as a consequence of this change, teams are getting better during the course of the tournament. Germany, for instance, have always been a country that barring injuries and yellow cards will finish almost with the same line-up as they started the tournament and other teams are following their model.
Finally, a quick word about other teams, such as Japan.
Japan didn’t qualify for the quarter-finals but there was evidence here that they have improved again and that they’ll continue to improve. I watched one of their training sessions and it was at a very high level. Japan were the Asian champions at U-19 level last year just as England were in Europe and Brazil in South America at U-20 in 2010. The fact that none of them advanced is a sign of greater parity within confederations.
President sparks Nigeria's progress
So seismic was the impact of Nigeria’s victory over USA in the Germany 2010 quarter-finals that it has been called the greatest achievement in the history of women’s football, not just in that country but for the whole of Africa. They have a place in the last four of a FIFA women’s tournament for the first time and an entire nation is willing them to overcome Colombia tomorrow and win through to Sunday’s final.
At half-time in the game with USA, with Nigeria losing 1-0 and seemingly overrun by the defending champions, who were playing controlled, incisive football, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari, personally telephoned coach Ndem Egan to tell his team to settle down and not be afraid of their opponents.
His words transformed the Falconets, who were a completely different proposition for the second period – when they scored a wonderful equaliser through Helen Ukaonu - and also in extra-time. Then in the penalty shoot-out their nerve stayed strongest, scoring with all four attempts while their American rivals missed two of theirs. “The President’s words were a big help for our players,” said Egan. “It gave them the confidence to go out there and win.”
It is a remarkable achievement for the African nation to have advanced this far in the competition, with only Colombia standing between them and the final. Not only are they the youngest squad (at an average of 18 years and 3 months) on duty in Germany – with the exception of fellow west Africans Ghana – but the national team seemed to have a jinx when it came to finding an escape route from the last eight into the last four. They had played in three previous quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and lost them all.
“Before we arrived in Germany, the girls promised that we would get beyond the quarter-final stage,” Egan added. “Now we are looking to the final itself – that is our target. The information we have been getting from Nigeria is that all the people are very, very happy with the result. It will help a lot more girls to take up the game, which can only be good for the development of Nigerian football.”
Steady improvement
A study of the history of the competition shows how the west Africans have undergone steady improvement over the recent past. In 2002 they were bottom of their group; in 2004 they finished third, which was enough to take them into the quarter-finals; two years later they were second before losing to Brazil in the last eight; and in 2008 they topped their group but fell to France in the quarter-finals.
The renowned 'Nigeria spirit', a never-say-die determination, gives them a good chance of going all the way this time. As does the level of fitness within the group, a result of the hard work masterminded by technical advisor James Peters in the four-week training camp held in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire.
“I told them that what a man can do, they can do even better,” Peters said. “I worked them as hard as I did my men’s teams when I worked in the US, and the results are there to be seen. Against USA we started very slowly and conserved our energies, and the final result was something we had all been dreaming about.source:http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup
