A stoppage time goal by Valerin Loboa saw Colombia edged out Nigeria’s Falconets, in the quarterfinals of the FIFA women’s U-20 World Cup on Sunday.
The Falconets controlled more of the ball early and generated several chances, including efforts from Favour Nkwocha, Kafayat Mafisere, Janet Akekoromowei, and Onyedikachi Ekezie.
Colombia stayed organized defensively, with goalkeeper Luisa Agudelo making key saves—including tipping over a powerful long-range left-footed shot from Tumininu Adeshina.
In the 76th minute the Falconets were reduced to 10 players when Kafayat Mafisere received a straight red card.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Falconets continued to press and created late opportunities, but could not break through.
Also Read: 2026 U-20 WWC: Falconets Target First Semi-Final Appearance In 12 Years
Then in the 92nd minute Loboa put Colombia 1-0 ahead, capitalising on a rebound after her initial effort came off Falconets keeper Christiana Uzoma.
With just seconds left the Falconets were awarded a free kick close to the 18 yard box of Colombia but Akekoromowei’s effort went over the bar.
This was Colombia’s second consecutive late 1-0 knockout win (they had eliminated hosts Poland the same way in the round of 16).
Also, it marked their return to the U-20 Women’s World Cup semi-finals after 16 years (they finished fourth in 2010 after losing to Nigeria in the semis that year).
By James Agberebi
5 Comments
Nigeria Vs Colombia (0-1): Retrospective Review
The warning signs were there in the second half, early in the second half, that Columbia were aiming for a smash-and-grab slim win but Nigeria failed to heed the warning.
Firstly, a Columbian striker left our entire backline behind to find herself 1 v 1 with our goalkeeper before said goalkeeper recovered well. Secondly, straight through the middle, our defence was breached again, only for a last ditch goalkeeper intervention, both early in the second half.
Nigeria hugged possession like a lover in the first half and created some pretty decent openings. Whilst I applaud their passing regime, goals, not passes, win games.
So, Columbia, ever so content to allow Nigeria to be the lover of possession, and them, not the fighter of it, they fought hard to create what mattered most: the opening to stab home in 93 minutes, breaking Nigerian hearts.
I was never too impressed with our coach all through the tournament but today, I thought Coach Aduku did reasonably well, the outcome notwithstanding.
His girls looked professional, business-like and focused. Their passes were neat and tidy and they showed variety in their play with crosses, long balls, nice shots, great hold up play and decent defensive work.
Janet was fabulous with neat touches, clean movements, decent vision and an eye for the spectacular. However, failure to replace her after our red card proved to be the calamity that doomed our ambitions.
After the red card, Coach Aduku shifted to a 4-3-2 formation with Janet dropping deep to be a midfielder. Never a midfielder, Janet lost her opponent before the through-ball that created the opening for the lethal goal.
Had Coach Aduku replaced Janet for a more combative midfielder whilst also shoring the midfield with more bodies, Columbia might have struggled to create that opening for that goal.
Midfielder Mafishere did play with fire with her foot that high: a valid red card for me.
Our girls played with confidence, verve and really deserved the match to, at least, go to penalties.
They were physical which accounted for the red card.
Sometimes, our wingers tried to dribble too many opponents but, as usual, Columbia, like all our other opponents, knew this flaw in Nigeria’s design. So, they doubled, even tripled up on our wingers to retrieve the ball without even committing a foul.
Nigerian female wingers, beware: opponents know your little tricks, tricks that now have very low success rate.
This Falconets team was never a podium achievement side.
Columbia came with a smash-and-grab game plan that worked flawlessly whilst masterfully neutralising our game plan.
Unlike England, Colombia were tight and compact at the back and didn’t commit the sort of school-girl errors that England committed which gifted us at least 2 goals in that match.
The day our indigenous coaches learn how to neutralise the strategies opponents want to use to neutralise Nigerian strategy, our coaches will taste success.
Until then, well done for this effort. It wasn’t bad; in the same breath, it wasn’t quite good enough.
I agree with most of your analysis and comments on the Falconets loss to the Columbian girls, except on your claim that the “red carding of Mafisere was valid.”
That was never a red card, not even a yellow card, in my opinion, as there was really no offence committed by the Nigerian midfielder. Mafisere wanted to kick the ball out with force and couldn’t get the ball, and the force of the movement without touching the ball made her raise her foot, but her raised foot never touched the Columbian girl (so there is no question of intent to cause harm). VAR had to call the Italian woman referee for review, but the woman was determined to send Mafisare out and insisted on the red card.
That red card of the hardworking Falconets midfielder changed the cause of the game and an overworked 10 Woman Falconets, tired out after 90minutes of absorbing duel caved in. I think it was pure robbery of the Falconets. Such ill decisions should never be made in such a high stake match as the quarter finals of a World Cup.
Deo, u r 100% correct. The signs were there with d 2 clear chances columbia gad to punish us which firtunately for us our goalkeeper saved us on both occasions. Bro, i was screening after d red card to our #10, please bring an added body to shore up d mudfield and an extra defender to see off the game to extra time atleat. The coach of course was smart. Why keep trying to win a game at the death when a man or woman diwn. The game plan should have been lets get to Extra time where we can re-srrategize but our girls were looking for a winner and we were punished. This match was very painful as the falconets would’ve still won dis game even with a man down had the coach been smart and asked his team to just get to extra time. U r also very correct that d team wasn’t going to get to the podium as they would’ve been defeated by either Canda or the defending champions North Korea. Anyway some of d girls are good as they played some good football at times but generally it was more grafra than finese. I see Spain vs North Korea final with North Korea winning but its a toss up sha.
The better team lost to the referee who was the 12th player for the opponents.
The Nigerian girls surprised me with their tactical play and discipline, except that the defenders tired out at the dying embers of the game when it mattered most.
Kudos to the girls. Perhaps we could try Aduku with the Super Falcons for a few high profile friendly matches and see how it goes. Then afterwards decide on a short or long term contract.
Kudos to the girls. Even though I didn’t watch any of their matches, the insights from @Deo suggest this was a team that fought hard but was ultimately undone by lapses in concentration.
If only the NFF would invest seriously in coaching education. From everything I’ve gathered, I suspect poor game management by Aduku played a significant part in the defeat. And honestly, I cringe whenever we come up against a tactically sound team because too many of our local coaches simply don’t seem to have a Plan B—or even a Plan C.
The players can fight all they want, but at this level, the coach must be able to read the game, recognise the problem and change the equation before it is too late. That’s where our coaching education gap keeps showing.
Anyway, kudos to the girls. They fought, they gave it a go, and there will always be another day.