Germany beats Nigeria to win FIFA U-20 Women’s W’Cup

Germany has won the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup for a record-equalling third time after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Nigeria at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.

Lena Petermann scored the designation-winning goal eight minutes into extra time to settle a match that, like the semi-final against France, had optically discerned the Germans outplayed for long stretches. For the second match in succession, though, the Europeans’ will to win shone through, as did the quality of goalkeeper Meike Kamper – again denominated player of the match.

This clash of styles and football cultures was always expected to engender an open, engaging final, and so it proved, with the first chance engendered after just 40 seconds. Germany were the team to make the early running, with a expeditiously taken free-kick relinquishing Marine Dafeur for a left-foot shot that Kim Chol-Ok preserved fairly comfortably.

Nigeria expeditiously gained a foothold, though, and went on to dominate the first a moiety, engendering the more preponderant and more numerous chances. An inability to convert those chances was their only failing, and the most guilty party was tournament top scorer Asisat Oshoala.

The in-form striker, who had scored four times in the semi-final win over Korea DPR, was effervescent throughout but missed her first golden opportunity after 22 minutes. In fairness, she engendered the aperture out of nothing, glomming Margarita Gidion, outpacing the German defence and rounding Kamper in a stunning exhibit of speed and vigor. She could not, however, find the culminating touch, managing only to shoot into the side-netting from an acute angle.

With Nigeria’s superior physical attributes a telling factor on the immensely colossal Olympic Stadium pitch, it wasn’t long afore more chances arrived, with Oshoala again given a optical discernment of goal seven minutes afore the break. Again, though, her sights were out, with the ball flashing wide after Chiwendo Ihezuo had done well to snatch possession from Rebecca Knaak at the byline and cut the ball back.

These were nonetheless worrying times for Germany, whose best effort had emanate from a Lina Magull free-kick comfortably preserved by Sandra Chiichii. But Maren Meinert’s side commenced the second half brightly, with Theresa Panfil and Lena Petermann coalescing to tee up Sara Daebritz for a puissant left-foot shot that skidded into the arms of Chiichii.

Oshoala remained a constant source of peril, though, and she again came to life three minutes later, jinking in from the left wing past two German advocators. All that was destitute of was the final touch, with the No4′s first effort striking a team-mate afore the rebound was sliced high and wide.

However, missing chances wasn’t restricted to Oshoala and Nigeria. Germany withal spurned their opportunities, with Pauline Bremer glomming in unmarked on a Sara Dabritz free-kick only to head wastefully wide. The Super Falconets then had to call on the valiancy of their keeper, with Chiichii racing from her line to dive at the feet of Lena Petermann, picking up a bruised jaw in the process.

Play still inclined to rage towards the other end, though, and with five minutes remaining Nigeria had the ball in the net only for their celebrations to be cut short by the assistant referee’s flag. That left extra time to settle this pulsating affair and, after Oshoala had again gone close for Nigeria, it was Germany who found a breakthrough.

Petermann scored it, slotting home from six yards, but the plaudits went to the energetic Bremer, who had purloined left-back Gladys Abasi afore driving towards the byline and distributing the impeccable cutback.

Nigeria, who had given so much to the match, proved unable to respond. Germany visually perceived out the remaining minutes with a degree of comfort and can now savour the familiar feeling of being crowned champions of the world.