BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – SEPTEMBER 01:
Nigeria has edged Korea Republic 1-0 in their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup opener with Flourish Sabastine’s late effort separating the sides.
The Group D – FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Colombia 2024 match between Nigeria and Korea Republic was played at Estadio Metropolitano de Techo on September 01, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia.
Korea Republic had the game’s first big chance. Cho Hyeyoung produced an excellent, inviting cross from the left. Park Soojeong threw herself towards the ball but, from point-blank range, was just inches away from making a connection.
Back came Nigeria. Lucky Nkpa, just 16, charged through the midfield, played a neat one-two with Rofiat Imuran, and shot just over.
Cho fired wide after some crowd-pleasing trickery, before Kim Shinji rattled the crossbar just before the half-time whistle.
Nigeria had the better of the second period. Imuran fired a free-kick narrowly wide shortly after the restart, while Chiamaka Okwuchukwu danced her way past two opponents and brought a block out of Woo Seobin. They finally made the breakthrough late on when Sabastine’s attempted cross deceived Seobin and went in.
The teams will return to action in Bogota on Wednesday, with Nigeria meeting Germany and Korea Republic facing Venezuela.
Stats
Nigeria made it four victories from four meetings with Korea Republic at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, having won 2-0 in 2012, 2-1 in 2014 and 1-0 in 2022.
The Falconets have lost only two of their last 23 group games in the tournament.
