Nigeria vs Japan FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final, Digi Mart USA News (Morocco): Nigeria leads Japan 2-0 in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final, with about 20 minutes remaining at the time of the live updates. The Flamingos are already the first African side to reach the final of this tournament, and a win would make them the first African nation to win it.
Awawu Bashiru opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 40th minute, and Oluebube Umejiaku doubled the lead in the 47th minute. Japan had chances to get back into the match, including a free kick that went over the bar in the 58th minute and a shot in the 55th minute that sailed wide as they sought a third Nigerian goal.
Nigeria pressed the Japanese defence and did not allow Japan to play its fast-paced passing game for long stretches. Japan dominated parts of the midfield, but Nigeria’s defence repeatedly cleared dangerous balls, and by the 65th minute Japan appeared to be tiring.
Nigeria starts: Jane Ijirigho, Azeezat Oduntan, Ohunmene Sunday, Esther Stephen, Rodiat Yusuf, Favour Nkwocha, Awawu Bashiru, Mary Dunstan, Queen Joseph, Oluwakemi Adegbuyi and Oluebube Umejiaku. Japan starts: M.
Yamanaka, A. Ito, H.
Nishi, A. Tanaka, Wakatsuki, Sumiya, Kitajima, A.
Ota, K. Sato and N.
Kurita.
This is the first time Nigeria and Japan have met at the U-17 Women’s World Cup and the first time the two countries have faced each other in a global final. The match is the tenth U-17 Women’s World Cup final and is being played in Morocco on Saturday evening.
