By Amaechi Agbo
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has blamed the exit of Nigeria’s female U-20 football team, the Falconets from the ongoing 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica on “litany of factors” including bad refereeing and poor finishing
The Falconets who were optimistic of a semi-final berth succumbed to a two first-half goals by the Europeans and got their already flourishing campaign punctured.
In a release after the match signed by its head of communication, Ademola Olajire, the federation noted that poor finishing, hard luck as well as unfavorable decisions by the Costa Rican official Marianela Araya saw the Nigeria U-20 bow out of the tournament
“A litany of factors, including poor finishing, hard luck and dodgy officiating by Costa Rican official Marianela Araya saw the Nigeria U20 girls bow out of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup with a two-goal defeat by The Netherlands in their quarter-final match in Alajuela,” NFF said.
“Flourish Sabastine, who scored Nigeria’s three-point winner against France in the opening match of Group C, was cynically stopped in the Dutch’s box in the 7th minute, but just as she did all night, Araya looked away unimpressed,” the NFF said.
Four minutes later, the Dutch were ahead, when Zera Hulswit rammed a perfect dipping shot beyond Omini Oyono as the conquerors of USA pulled away on the counter-attack.
