U20 WWC Japan 2 Nigeria 1: Shobowale nets late consolation as Falconets eliminated from World Cup

The Falconets have been knocked out of the Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup, having lost 2-1 to Japan at Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in the early hours of Friday.

Christopher Danjuma named an unchanged XI to the team that blew Venezuela away in the last group fixture.

Japan were able to restrict the Nigeria attack and looked more like scoring but were able to find the cutting edge.

The Young Nadeshiko eventually broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute.

Unmarked at the back post, Miyu Matsunaga opened the scoring, heading a precise cross from Rihona Ujihara past goalkeeper Faith Omilana.

Five minutes before the stroke of halftime, Rofibat Imuran almost gave the Falconets the equalizer, delivering a dangerous cross into the penalty area, which almost caught Akane Okuma off her line.

Aemu Oyama got the first opportunity at goal in the second half with a long-range effort, but her strike drifted away.

Maya Hijikata doubled the advantage in the 66th minute, poking the ball home at the near post from a cross.

Omilana was forced to make a point-blank save in the 71st minute, denying Japan from compounding the woes of Nigeria.

The Nigerian shot-stopper was called to action yet again in the 77th minute, tipping Matsunaga’s shot from the edge of the penalty box over the bar.

Olushola Shobowale pulled one back for the Falconets in stoppage time, applying a neat finish to Mary Osigwe’s low cross

A second-place finish in the 2010 and 2014 editions is the best finish the Falconets have had in the history of the competition, and they will have to wait until two years to end their wait for the trophy.