Japan have set up a mouth-watering clash with Spain in the quarter-finals at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after they saw off Nigeria 2-1 in rainy Bogota.
The 2018 champions were on the front foot from the get-go and after coming close on numerous occasions they finally went ahead in the 33rd minute. Rihona Ujihara sat up a cross that an onrushing Miyu Matsunaga nodded home completely unopposed at the back post.
Rofiat Imuran had Nigeria’s best chance shortly after as she forced a smart save from keeper Akane Okuma but it was the Asian powerhouse that went to the break with the lead, as they have done at every match at Colombia 2024.
Maya Hijikata doubled the lead midway through the second half as she tucked home a cross from substitute Chinari Sasai at the back post; that goal taking her joint-top of the Adidas Golden Boot race, level with Brazil’s Vendito.
Olushola Shobowale did manage to pull one back for Nigeria in stoppage time but they couldn’t find a second as Japan hung on to close out the 2-1 win and set up that epic quarter-final clash with Spain, in a re-match of the 2022 final.
