Flamingos head coach Bankole Olowookere says Germany made things difficult for his side in their encounter at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.
The Nigerian girls fell to a 2-1 defeat against the Germans in their opening fixture in Goa on Tuesday.
The Flamingos led 1-0 at the break courtesy of a superb free-kick from Miracle Usani.
Germany however took control of the game in the second half and scored twice though Svea Stold and Mara Alber.
Read Also:2022 U-17 WWC: We Will Bounce Back Against New Zealand — Flamingos Captain Dah- Zossu
Olowookere conceded that the Germans made things difficult for his players by not allowing them play to their strength.
“At a time, we were forced to play their patterns, we love to play on the ground but they lifted the ball, so we were unable to play our game,” Olowookere said in a short video interview posted on NFF TV.
“We are going to work hard in the second game, we will block all the loopholes because we needed to win the next match.
“I and the rest of the technical crew will play a fatherly and motherly role so that we can lift the spirit of the players ahead of the second match”, he said.
The Flamingos will face New Zealand in their second game in the competition on Friday.
6 Comments
No excuses. You lack technical ability compare to Germany coach
It’s always very difficult and quite frankly unfair to assess under-17 football, be it male or female, from overly technical lens. But one thing they can be is exuberant with fun, energy and excitement added for good measure.
Only one word encapsulates the output of Coach Bankole’s Flamingos against Germany in their 2:1 curtain raiser loss yesterday: the word is lacklustre.
I do love these young ladies and naturally I was rooting for them to erupt like a ferocious volcano yesterday even if they had lost. But half way in the first half, I dozed off – honestly, not a word of lie.
I stopped taking my notes, jumped to bed where I endured the remainder of the match whilst drifting in and out of consciousness, it was that boring.
I totally lost interest as I struggled to connect with what my wonderful young Nigerian ladies were trying to do and how they were trying to accomplish their goals.
The Germans as well didn’t really light up the grass but at least they showed cohesion, coherency and clarity of ideas as one would expect of a European side, and Germany for that matter.
Please, Codex, Dr Drey, Chima, Ugo, Pompei, Bomboy and other friends and foes of mine on this platform, let us march to the Glass House in Abuja and demand the immediate resignation of Austin Eguavoen as the Director of Football.
I am not one to peddle baseless conspiracy theories but ever since he assumed that role, some of our national teams seem to have become obsessed with this flat 4-4-2 formation that 1994 World Cup Fullback flaunted as his vision for all our national teams in his now infamous table soccer exposition YouTube video. This formation has glaring shortcomings and it does not always work.
So, when I saw Bankole’s Babes file out in this controversial constellation yesterday against Germany, it was like de javu.
The young ladies, bless them, looked lost, on top of looking lethargic, listless and languid. There was little to no tempo to their game with limited vim and vigour to write home about.
I had expected the much hyped Alvine Dah-Zossu to lead from the front and grab the game by the scruff of its neck. As I looked out for her to do magic in the second half, I soon came to the realisation that she had been grabbed by the scruff of her neck out of the game by her manager early in the second half, during one of those spells when I was fast asleep and snoring.
It hadn’t been the best of day for me football-wise as I had earlier relived the whole second leg world cup qualifier match of the Super Eagles against Ghana in Abuja because Fifa decided to post that match (and other African qualifiers) on YouTube.
I thought Bankole’s babes would restore some sort of equilibrium – what was I thinking?
It wasn’t all that bad though.
Goalkeeper Faith Omilana played with some assurance and she could leave with her head held high with a number of credible and incredible saves. The duo of Opeyemi Ajakaye and Tumi Adeshina were also as lively as grig on and off the ball. The goal scorer, Miracle Usani, also needs special mention as she employed quick thinking and ingenuity to smash home her freekick in the only space necessary.
The other players have to be praised and applauded for limiting the German Machine to just 2 goals.
But in all, our girls looked leggy with low energy levels that is inconsistent with girls of their age. The likes of ageless Oparanozie or Ordega could give some of those girls a run for their money.
You don’t expect football of this level to be scientific but you expect exuberance, fireworks and innocence which our girls struggled to produce.
With a bit more coffee added to their diet, you never know, they could come out all guns blazing in their second match against New Zealand on Friday.
One thing is for sure, I will definitely take coffee before watching that second match, I wouldn’t want to doze off for the second game running. I will rather endure the game to the end, however tortuous that may be!
Let us be patient with the coach and the players.
Germany always is a big opposition at any level especially against any African side.We lack the technicalities,exposure and trainings to compete against a world class side the only level we could compete with Germany is at the under 17 male team.
Having said that against New Zealand and Chile I fancy our chances.
Mr. tribal sentiment coach just pack up your luggage’s after next game to travel back home. No apologies, corrupt people everywhere!!!
Mr.Olowokere! You were supposed to select a Nigerian team. Instead you arrived in India with a tribal Eleven. The girls however did their best, but lacked technical depth and courage. Please hurry up and come home to explain yourself!
Two huge differences between the Nigerian and German women – ball control and teamwork. The Germsn girls certainly started playing football as an organized sport much earlier in life, possibly at about 5 years of age. The Flamingos looked like they kicked their first football as 15 year olds.