Falconets face Brazil 7 a.m today

Kick-off time (3pm Local time) (7a.m. Nigerian time)
Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team have put behind Sunday’s 2-0 victory against Korea Republic and have their eyes fixed on today’s Group B encounter against Brazil at the on-going FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan. The match comes up 7 a.m today.

On Monday the team returned to training with Chief Coach, Edwin Okon drumming it into the Players ears not to underrate their opponents who share a point with Italy after a late minute equalizer through striker, Amanda. Falconets are leaders in their group B with 3 points.

Training continued on Tuesday at 3pm which is the official kick off time for today’s encounter and 7am in Nigeria. Weather condition in Japan is 29 degrees centigrade.

’You saw how they came back in the dying minutes of the match to score their equalizer. It shows that they are a team that you should not dismiss so easily. Yes, Italy had a player sent off ,but we have to be careful.

”This is a tournament that a game can change in five minutes.That is why  my players must know the importance of being focused till the last minute,” he added.

Defender, Josephine Chukwunonye and Striker, Desire Oparanozie who were slightly tackled by their opponents have been declared fit by the medical personnel for today’s match.

For the two sides, it will be the third meeting and sixth appearance in this competition.

On November 13 at the 2004 edition in Thailand Nigeria defeated Brazil 3-2 in the group stage and two years later in Russia, the South American side got their pound of flesh winning 3-2 in the quarter final.

Interestingly, Felix Ibeh (late) who handled the team in Thailand was also the head coach of domestic side, Rivers Angels that Okon now handles.

Orji eyes milestone

One more goal for  Ebere Orji will lift the Nigerian attacker to six strikes in her third FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, alongside New Zealand’s Rosie White who is the current top-scorer amongst players at Japan 2012.