Nengi Ernest
After three rounds of games in group A of the ongoing FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica, the assumption that the host nation has been the weakest team amongst all the teams in the group has met full expectations.
Costa Rica got off to a good start in their first match against Australia where they drew the first blood but fired blank all through the remaining minutes of the game losing from the winning point to their opponents, 1-3.
Thereafter, the team suffered against Spain who whitewashed them with five unreplied goals, a game that ousted them from the competition.
Brazil on the other hand ended the last edition as fourth in their group and returned with full force this edition and we’re able to secure a scoreless encounter with high-scoring Spain, thereafter buckled up to beat Australia 2-0 in their second match. Brazil had an excellent day against Costa Rica with a 5-0 thrashing in their final group game where the likes of Rafaela Levis starred with a double (27th and 53rd-minute penalty), Patricia Maldaner, Aline Amaro and Milena de Oliveira adding their names to the scoring sheet in the 63rd, 75th and 88th via spot kick.
The Australians expectedly beat Costa Rica but missed out in their second game as they had few chances to win against Brazil, they conceded a goal in each of the halves, losing with a 0-2 scoreline.
Spain who came second at the last edition, lost two valuable points after a stalemate with Brazil; in the second, they easily dispatched Costa Rica 5-0 and rose to expectation in the last match, thumping Australia 3-0 to eliminate them from the tournament. Inma Gabbaro’s hat trick in the 19th, 24th and 61st minutes propelled her side to win the final encounter.
In Group B, Mexico did not fail to meet the standard of being a contender in the tournament. They were forced to a barren draw by hard-fighting New Zealand, the same result they managed in the second game. In the third match, Mexico edged Germany 1-0 courtesy of Alexia Villanueva’s 59th to book their place in the knockout state.
Germany who was tipped as the favourite lagged behind Colombia in the first match with a 0-1 but, Germany regrouped to beat New Zealand 3-0 in the second game of the group.
Colombia who found themselves in this competition after a long time of absence had low chances to make any statement and go on to prove their critics wrong with one nil victory over Germany in the first match. This momentum however couldn’t be sustained as they failed to find the back of the net against Mexico.
More mouthwatering fixtures are lined up in Group C as the already qualified Nigeria will continue on their compact playing style when they take on Canada; South Korea will go head to head with France in another game that would determine a knockout place. In Group D, the Netherlands will lock horns with Ghana and USA will take on Japan’s women’s team.