Two goals in the final half-hour propelled three-time champions Germany to a 3-1 victory over Nigeria in their FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Group D clash at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogotá on Wednesday night.
Nigeria could have taken the lead in the second minute after they intercepted the ball from a German attack, but Chiamaka Okwuchukwu failed to beat goalkeeper Rebecca Adamczyk, opting not to pass to teammates running towards the goal.
Germany came close in the 10th minute, and Rofiat Imuran raced down the left, but her cross failed to find Okwuchukwu. Schitler then put the Germans ahead in the 17th minute, heading home an inch-perfect cross from the right while goalkeeper Shukura Bakare was out of position.
The game saw opportunities at both ends as it progressed, but Nigeria wasted another chance to equalize in added time of the first half, with Rofiat Imuran again racing down the left, only for goalkeeper Adamczyk to stop her weak effort with a right-handed save.
Five minutes into the second half, Nigeria leveled the score when Jalla Veit and Adamczyk made a mistake at the back, allowing Okwuchukwu to race towards an open goal and score her first goal of the tournament.
Germany restored their lead in the 61st minute, with Zoebell poking the ball past Bakare from a teasing cross, between two Falconets’ defenders.
Okwuchukwu thought she had equalized two minutes later when she fired the ball past Adamczyk after cutting in from the right, but the goal was ruled offside.
The Germans made it 3-1 in added time, with Ernst’s flying header from a cross on the right leaving Bakare rooted to the spot.
As a result, Germany secured their spot in the Round of 16, having earlier defeated Venezuela 5-2 on Matchday 1.
Next for the Falconets is a clash with Venezuela in Cali on Saturday evening.
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