Nigeria’s Falconets have crashed out of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after suffering a narrow 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Colombia on Sunday.
The Falconets appeared destined to take the encounter into extra time after holding their South American opponents at bay for most of the contest.
However, Colombia struck in stoppage time through Valerin Loboa to secure a dramatic victory and book a place in the semi-finals.
Nigeria created a number of scoring opportunities during the encounter but struggled to convert them, as Colombia’s defence remained resolute throughout the match.
The game took a decisive turn late in regulation time when the Falconets were reduced to 10 players following a red card.
Colombia immediately sought to exploit the numerical advantage and eventually found the breakthrough when Loboa converted in the dying moments of the match.
The late goal ended Nigeria’s hopes of progressing to the last four and brought the Falconets’ campaign to an end at the quarter-final stage.
Despite the disappointment, Nigeria had produced a competitive run at the tournament, navigating the group stage before advancing to the knockout rounds and securing a place in the quarter-finals.
Colombia will now advance to the semi-finals, while the Falconets return home after narrowly missing out on a place among the tournament’s final four.
