Japan captain Koyama Shinomi has said players of Nigeria’s Falconets possess certain features that make them different from other opponents they have faced.
The Falconets will take on Japan in the round of 16 at the 2024 FIFA U-20 women’s World Cup in Colombia.
The game is billed for Friday, September 13, 2024 at 2am (West African Time).
After topping their group, Japan got drawn against the Falconets who finished second in their own group.
Speaking ahead of the first round knockout tie, Shinomi, who plays for the women’s team of Djurgardens IF in Sweden, said she is thrilled about the upcoming clash with Nigeria.
“Having made it through the group stage, we’re now heading into the knockout stage, and I’m feeling excited about the battles ahead where we absolutely cannot afford to lose,” she said on Japan women’s national team X (formerly Twitter) page
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how far I can go, especially against our next opponent, Nigeria, which has many players with individual strengths.
“Nigeria gives the impression of being physically strong and fast, and their players use their long legs to their advantage. Their initial acceleration when they start running is different from our usual opponents, as they move swiftly, almost gliding across the pitch.
Shinomi added:”As a team, we want to win and get off to a good start in the knockout stage. Personally, I aim to deliver results that are visible, raise my own value through my play, and contribute to the team’s success all the way to the championship.”
The Falconets reached the quarter-finals at the 2022 U-20 women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
Also, they have featured in the final of the competition twice (2010, 2014), losing to Germany in both occasions.
For Japan, they were winners of the competition in 2018 and we’re runners-up at the 2022 edition.
By James Agberebi
