Falconets midfielder Esther Onyenezide says the team is battle ready for every opposition at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
Chris Danjuma’s side are through to the quarter-finals of the competition after winning their opening two games against France and Korea Republic.
The Falconets have been runners-up twice and have also been to the semi-final once.
Onyenezide believes the team can go a step further this time around.
Read Also:2022 WWC: Exclusive: Why Other Opponents Will Be Scared To Face Falconets –Dosu
“We are a giant in Africa and fear no other team,” player of the match,”Onyenezide told BBC Sports.
“We’ve trained an unbelievable amount and if you look back at qualifying, then we’ve every right to be confident out here whenever we play.
“We want to show the world that we’re not just big in African terms but that we can beat any other team.”
The Falconets will take on Canada in their final group game on Wednesday.
24 Comments
Nonesense talk. i watched their two matches. honestly they were lucky to beat france and against korea there was no pattern of play. The team is having in my humble opinion no tactical approach and honestly i worry this team will not go far
@ Osaretin, they aren’t as bad as you painted them. Winning two matches against supposed big teams in the group shouldn’t be a fluke.
There is always a room for improvement for sure, but I see a team getting better as the competition progresses. I see a much better goalkeeper against Korea. And their confidence going forward was better too. The only thing I noticed was the long balls they always try to put behind opposing defenders, many of which were easily dealt with in both matches. If the coach can help them try more shots from distance, like one that gave us the goal against Korea, or put the ball more on the ground, they will really go far.
In as much as I want to commend them for the 2 wins…I will advise them to be humble. South Korea seemed like a more tactically disciplined team and were unlucky hitting the woodwork twice. We are most likely going to meet the Dutch or the U.S in the qfinal so they definitely need to up their game in terms of converting chances…Defense seems good so far and the goalkeeper redeemed herself yesterday.
A team yet to concede yet Nigerians are criticizing them.. These girls are young and still developing ,they can’t play world class football, with time and more growth they will mature.. What you can’t away from them is that they are talented. Yes, they played some long balls but they also played the ball on the ground as well..
Onyenezide and Sebastian are my best players in this team.. Idoko and amoo have also impressed me ,the defense pair deserve some praises too.. I think we are the only team yet to concede a goal ( not sure though).. That’s impressive
So, because they haven’t conceded means they are perfect? or they don’t have some rough edges the brush up on? if the South Koreans had scored the 2 goals that hit the woodwork it’ll be a different story and we missed a few chances too…So tell them to work on some areas is now a criticism? I think you are daft.
Better shut up there. Is not the JUJU you took with you that is allowing you to win. Keep praying it rains before any of your games
Another mad and envious maggot Ghana man from no where? Don’t you see what envy and hate has landed you Ghanaians? For the six time of your appearance your black princesses hasn’t progressed than group stages and you open your dirty smelling mouth to vomit hateful words against falconets who are twice vice champion?
May you continue to die in you envy and jealous? what is written is written? Nigeria and Nigerians shall continue to over shadow and outshine above all the enemies and not even your timid and uncivilized Ghana can stand on the way?
At the just concluded Birmingham commonwealth 2022 games your team Ghana athletes of 126 lonely won 5 medals because of evil envious nature of you Ghanaians but Nigeria you hate with perfect hatred won 35 medals and in Africa Nigeria retained first follow by South Africa?
What was the position of your useless Ghana with their envy and jealous?
Do not get the lord involved in this. Last time i checked Ghana Black Stars is going to Qatar and not Super Chicklets Not only in Ghana they pratice voodoo. it is common in Africa. So rest my brother. We go see very soon
Please let’s be honest and realistic. I’m so sorry to say this, this team doesn’t have a pattern except long balls and individual talents. No tactical approach. No coordination from mid-field to attack but we just hope and pray for mother luck….
asides that nothing so special about this team. Wishing them more luck
Is it not better not to have a pattern and be winning than to have a pattern and losing. The end justify the means
You’re right bro.chris Danjuma team has always been like that over the years, he’s so lucky
The coach could shut up and not be directing play with a running commentsry from the sidelines. That is bush and confuses the girls. They’ve done well so far. This girl Onyenezide is a good candidate for promotion to the Super Falcons. She has the rare quality in women’s soccer of being ambidextrous.
But that’s not the coach talking
Confidence is a good thing, but humility will always take you farther.
All this “Giant of Africa” talk has gotten us nowhere in the past, and I don’t see that trend changing.
Although the team has done really well, the truth is that the wins against France and S. Korea were “smash and grab”. France came close to scoring several times, and actually had the ball in our net, but VAR got us out of jail. S. Korea were a threat also. Recall the freekick that hit the upright. A cat’s whisker to the right, and the ball could have ended up in our net.
Both games could have gone either way. Credit to the team for their never-say-die attitude, but it would be dishonest not to acknowledge that they were fortunate in both games.
The team also needs to work on effectiveness in the final third. Chances are created, but the conversion rate can be improved.
The Falconets should stay humble and focused. With humility, they have every chance of going all the way. But if they get puffed up, it is not for nothing that the good book says “pride goes before a fall”.
My brother, thank you so much oo. They still have a lot of work to do and forget making mouth.
Wishing them all the best
Quite agree with you on this Pompei. Both matches we have played so far have been “touch and go”. As much as we are celebrating 2 wins now, we could easily have been crying over 2 losses….that’s who finite the balance could have titled either way in both games.
There is indeed room for improvement, especially in the final third where the team always seems to fun out of ideas.
The knockout stages is where the tournament begins and we might not be as lucky as we have been thus far.
God is taking falconets straight to the finals and falconets shall be crowned champion of the world.
Well said Brodaman. This woman football business is not my thing but like you said, humility is a good thing.
Heaven bless the Falconets and all deserving women teams.
Found this funny highlights on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWf6q2HgA8Q
lmaoooooooooooooo
I wish those young girl you see can played better than our boys.
I just hope you could remain calm and stay focused. Don’t be so overconfident. It’s not by power. But keep working hard. You could see that the Koreans were all over you with even better chances, but it failed to click for them
May your confident terrify your opponents and crown falconets the champions of U-20 women world cup in the name of Jesus Christ Amen
*Retrospective Observations: Falconets vs South Korea*
Over the weekend, the fabulous Falconets of Nigeria put the smiles on the faces of fans after putting their South Korean counterparts to the sword in a slim yet sweet and sumptuous 1:0 hit-job.
This victory, which all but guaranteed their safe and secure passage to the quarter-finals, also heralded an impressive eight games unbeaten run across 720 minutes of football since last year.
Whilst many Nigeria fans have been over the moon by this buoyant 100% group stage record thus far, others continue to err on this side of caution stating that this Falconets team are rough around certain tactical edges.
Whilst I share the concern of wary fans, there can be no greater test for any team than facing and defeating cast iron tournament favourites. For those who follow the English Premier League, it is like Liverpool defeating Manchester City and Chelsea in tow.
The Falconets came to this tournament to achieve 3 objectives: establish a giant killing reputation (check), make an impression in the tournament (check), attain a podium finish, preferably 1st at best or 2nd at worst (outstanding).
Against South Korea, I witnessed 10 elements that I wish to share which could have a bearing on how the team will fare for the remainder of the tournament.
_ Ten Elements Against South Korea _
1. Imuran’ impact: as a key defensive kahuna, the Rivers Angels flamboyant fullback stamped her authority on the last game with timely tackles, neat retrievals and exquisite redistribution of the ball.
That said, her overlapping runs could be more varied and ramped up to provide enhanced outlets for Sabastine on the flanks and help increase the team’s attacking threats.
2. Idoko’s position: without a goal to her name against South Korea and in the previous match, it begs the question as to whether Idoko (the starting sniper of the team) is the ideal centre forward for this outfit.
Her movements up front did not bear much fruits in the last match though she ruffled many feathers in the penultimate match.
The Nasarawa Amazons utility player dished out sumptuous passes and eventually provided an elegant assist against France which suggests her optimal position might be as a conductor in the midfield orchestra
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3. Jerry’s statement: the Bayelsa Queens winger is yet to really come alive in this tournament. With the Koreans knowing Nigeria’s reliance on wing play, Joy’s impact was effectively neutralised with defenders ganging up on her.
Both wingers Joy and Onyenezide will have to show more guile, cunningness and be more dynamic to shrug off their markers for the remainder of the tournament.
4. Sebastian or Simon: although she took the first match against France by storm, Sebastian should be mindful of not becoming too predictable.
The Koreans correctly predicted that she would attempt take-ons, hence they hemmed in on her and effectively clipped her wings (similar to how Moses Simon was restricted against Tunisia at the men’s Afcon earlier in the year).
The speedster, who is currently clubless, must learn to release the balls quicker. Also, she needs to work on her movements so as not to be curtailed easily.
5. Onyenezide’s deliveries: the Robo Queens exciting midfielder did pull a rabbit out of her hat with an audacious blast from range for Nigeria’s winner against South Korea.
If only she can improve her decision making and quality of her deliveries, the pitch will be her oyster.
6. Oyono the cat: the Bayelsa Queens net minder showed considerable improvements from the first match where she had butterflies in her stomach.
Against South Korea, she actually floated like a butterfly to make telling saves that could have tilted the outcome of the game in favour of South Korea.
Low dives to parry; two-footed saves; and readjustments to deflect a sure fire goal bound deflected shot were just a few of her marquee moments in this second match.
Her looks and demeanour also exuded confidence against South Korea. She should keep it up!
Most of the fans who doubted her qualities after the France match must now feel reassured.
7. Danjuma’s predictability: those who watched the last game intently would realise that South Korea anticipated quite rightly what to expect from Nigeria. Our wingers were curtailed, our physicality was matched, the Falconets were – for all intents and purposes – reduced to speculative shots and gaps were opened up in our defence.
But for the woodwork and exemplary goalkeeping by the improving Oyono, the outcome would have been radically different.
Danjuma has fallen back to the 4-3-3 formation that made him cut a large swath in Africa but will this formation continue to come good for him for the remainder of the tournament? South Korea sourced him out but were unlucky to find a Nigerian goalkeeper in boiling form!
Wingers Onyenezide and Jerry were effectively sequestered by South Korea and service to centre forward Idoko was sliced off. Danjuma’s substitutions didn’t actually breathe new life into this or the previous game.
To make it work, Danjuma must be creative, dynamic and imaginative in how he instructs his girls to interact and interpret the 4-3-3 formation. It will be interesting to know what his plan B is if 4-3-3 does not cut it.
8. Late goals: the only goal against South Korea came in the 83rd minute while the one against France came in the 85th.
This shows how focused and determined the Falconets are but it also suggests a team that can be slow off the blocks.
Some opponents might sought to finish Danjuma’s girls off early before they get into their groove.
9. Demehin’s deliveries: the centre back from Rivers Angels is truly leading from the back with her astute defensive discipline and pristine long balls.
These long balls more often than not hit the mark. The Falconets will need her to continue launching these beautiful looping balls are they are key to unlocking defences and creating openings like they nearly did against South Korea.
10. Team frustration: the Falconets allowed themselves to get frustrated against South Korea when their efforts were not yielding fruits.
The like of Sebastian, Onyenezide, Joy Jerry and Bashirat Amoo resorted to wild, ill-advised, ill-timed, and aimless shots whilst captain Demehin could be seen venting her anger against a teammate after a passing routine went awry.
We are saw what happened when the Super Falcons lost their composure at the just concluded Wafcon. The Falconets will need to retain their composure even when things aren’t going their way.