The FIFA female Under 17 Women’s World Cup was founded in 2008 and has 16 teams featuring at every edition since inception. The current champions are France while North Korea, South Korea have also won the competition once each.
In 2003, after the inaugural success of the 2002 FIFA Under 19 Women’s World Championship held in Canada, FIFA proposed adding a second youth tournament for girls the same like its male counterparts. The first tournament was held in New Zealand from October 28 to November 16.
The 2014 edition of the World Cup is the fourth edition held in Costa Rica and it started on Saturday, March 15 and will run through Friday, April 4, 2014 with qualifying teams including Japan, North Korea, China PR from Asia, Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia from Africa, Mexico and Canada from CONCACAF, Venezuela and Colombia from CONMEBOL, New Zealand from Oceania, while Germany, Spain and Italy are flying UEFA slots at the championship. Group A has Venezuela, Italy, Costa Rica and Zambia, Group B Ghana, Canada, Germany and North Korea, Group C Japan, Spain, New Zealand and Paraguay and Group D Mexico, Nigeria, China PR and Colombia.
Africa’s representatives Nigeria, Ghana have done exceedingly well so far having romped into the quarter finals while Zambia crashed out after losing her first two games at the fiesta.
Nigeria beat China PR 2-1 and the same scoreline against Colombia to hit the knockout stage even before the last group game played over the weekend likewise Ghana who beat Germany 1-0 and pummeled North Korea 2-0.
The Zambians were hit 4-0 by Venezuela and 2-0 by Italy to crash out at the tournament.
The Flamingoes as the girls of Nigeria are called are aiming for history and the quarter final hurdle will be no challenge for the team in its quest to make history and win the cup.
The Flamingoes are hoping to be fourth time lucky having qualified for the competition without kicking a ball as their opponents withdrew. They reached the quarter finals in the last two editions in Trinidad and Tobago (2010) and Azerbaijan (2012) after failing to do so the first time they participated in 2008 in Switzerland.
Hard luck played a role in the Flamingoes previous quarter final exits, they were painfully eliminated in 2010 by Korea Republic in all 11 goal thriller that went into extra time in Marabella, losing 6-5 having themselves to blame for their inability to convert the begging chances that came their way.
This edition has witnessed an intensive preparation for a successful outing for the team at Costa Rica, unlike previous editions where poor preparation had been the bane of Nigerian teams for major competitions, the Flamingoes embarked on a training tour that spanned almost three months before the commencement of the competition.
The team played Nasarawa Amazons in Lafia beating them 2-1 in January and went on a tour of Europe where they played male and female sides in Portugal and Belgium as Coach Bala Nkiyu remains hopeful of a strong finish at the edition.
A coach who remains visionary, Bala Nikiju retained seven players from the squad that reached the last eight in Azerbaijan including Chinwendu Ihezuo, who won the Adidas Silver boot two years ago, Ugochi Emenayo, Ihuoma Onyebuchi, Joy Bokiri, Aminat Yakubu, Eluemunor Ijeh and captain Tessy Biahno will be making their second appearance.
The squad so far has been impressive with Uchenna Kanu hitting two goals already and Rasheedat Ajibade and Joy Bokiri all on song so far though coach Nikiyu has tactical applauded the efforts of the entire team so far emphasizing on team work being the back bone of the team’s successes so far.
Already Coach Nikiyu is talking tough ahead of their quarter final draw as he has stated that “the 16 teams in the competition won’t field angels or prophets, so for the World Cup, I think we are prepared” he boasted. The players have also re-stated their commitment to excel at the championship.
Assistant captain Uchenna Kanu believes the Flamingoes can be champions of the competition. According to her “I believe we can do it this year. With the hard work of everyone in training, the mood and performance so far, we will bring home the World Cup. If our boys can bring the World Cup (U-17) to Nigeria, we can also do it because what a man can do, a woman can also do. I don’t think any team can stop us from bringing the trophy to Nigeria” she said.
The prospects of the girls making it to the final four remains very bright and with scouts all over Europe on their radar it is pertinent for the Nigeria Football Federation and the technical crew of the team to strongly emphasize on these girls to remain focused with the remaining games as they tow their path to history in lifting the coveted trophy on April 4.
The NFF has once again shown professionalism in the organization of the team to succeed and I believe that the success story of the Alhaji Aminu Maigari led board may just be adding another laurel to it’s over flowing cabinet as these youngsters are determined to make history.
We must further caution against the need to put pressure on the team especially during these knock out phase as they try o minimize their mistakes.
The need for the usual jamboree of government officials storming the match venues at crucial stages should be well managed not to distract the team.
There is also a pending scenario that the team may clash with Ghana at some stage as the Ghanaian girls are in flying form at the tournament.
Whatever the outcome of the next stage, the NFF may have succeeded in discovering more talents for the Falconets (Under 20) and the Falcons as these girls have shown character so far and we must encourage them to succeed as we boost the profile of female football in Nigeria and on the continent.
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