For the first time in six appearances at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, Nigeria land in the last four.
The feat was achieved after missing the last edition in Uruguay four years ago, three consecutive quarterfinals — 2010, 2012 and 2014 — and group stage exits in 2008 (the first edition of the championship) and 2016.
On Friday, the present generation of Flamingoes did what their predecessors failed to accomplish as they survival a penalty shootout against the United States, one of the tournament’s favourites.
Omamuzo Edafe’s penalty kick in the 25th minute of the delayed match shot Nigeria ahead.
But Amalla Villarreal cancelled that advantage five minutes to the break.
The match remained deadlocked till the end.
In the ensuing shootout, the Nigerian girls converted four times, while the Americans managed only three.
The result made Nigeria the first team to arrive in the semifinals in the competition being staged by India.
The Flamingoes have emulated their seniors, the Falconets who beat United States in the quarter finals of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Germany in 2010.
Nigeria had emerged from Group B, losing their first match to Germany and beating both New Zealand and Chile to finish second on the log.
Nigeria will face the winners between debutants Tanzania and Colombia in the semifinal on Wednesday at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao.
