The 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup begins Tuesday in Canada.
The last few weeks have been a beehive of sporting activity, after the men’s World Cup in Brazil was succeeded by the Commonwealth Games in Scotland, which just ended on Sunday.
Attention now shifts to four cities in Canada – Toronto, Montreal, Moncton, and Edmonton – for the 7th edition of the tournament. The North Americans will become the first country to stage this tournament twice, after hosting the inaugural edition in 2002.
Nigeria are one of four teams – the others being Brazil, Germany and USA – who have been ever-present at the tournament.
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The Super Falconets failed to advance to the knockout stages on their first two attempts. They then qualified for the quarter-finals in 2006 and 2008, but lost to Brazil and France respectively. The team upped their game in 2010 and 2012 competitions and made it to the semi-finals.
In Germany 2010, they lost only a game and that was in the final to the hosts. Two years later in Japan, Nigeria topped their group and beat Mexico in the quarter-finals before losing to USA in the semi-finals. The team finished fourth after losing 2-1 to the hosts in the third-place match.
The Super Falconets will kick off their 2014 campaign and a shot at the ultimate prize against Mexico on Thursday August 7 in Moncton.
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PLAYER TO WATCH
Asisat Oshoala
Oshoala plays for the senior national team, the Super Falcons, as well the Super Falconets. This is her second tournament with the U-20 side. She was in 2012 squad that lost to Japan in the losers’ final.
FIXTURES
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GROUP A
DATE CITY MATCH TIME
August 5 Toronto Canada vs. Ghana 8pm ET
August 5 Toronto Finland vs. North Korea 5pm ET
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August 8 Toronto Canada vs. Finland 8pm ET
August 8 Toronto Ghana vs. North Korea 5pm ET
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August 12 Montreal North Korea vs. Canada 7pm ET
August 12 Moncton Ghana vs. Finland 7pm ET
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GROUP B
DATE CITY MATCH TIME
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August 5 Edmonton Germany vs. USA 7pm ET
August 5 Edmonton China vs. Brazil 10pm ET
August 8 Edmonton Germany vs. China 7pm ET
August 8 Edmonton USA vs. Brazil 10pm
August 12 Montreal Brazil vs. Germany 4pm ET
August 12 Moncton USA vs. China 4pm ET
GROUP C
DATE CITY MATCH TIME
August 6 Moncton England vs. South Korea 4pm ET
August 6 Moncton Mexico vs. Nigeria 7pm ET
August 9 Moncton England vs. Mexico 1pm ET
August 9 Moncton South Korea vs. Nigeria 4pm ET
August 13 Edmonton Nigeria vs. England 8pm ET
August 13 Toronto South Korea vs. Mexico 8pm ET
GROUP D
DATE CITY MATCH TIME
August 6 Montreal France vs. Costa Rica 5pm ET
August 6 Montreal New Zealand vs. Paraguay 8pm ET
August 9 Montreal New Zealand vs. France 5pm ET
August 9 Montreal Paraguay vs. Costa Rica 10pm
August 13 Toronto Costa Rica vs. New Zealand 5pm ET
August 13 Edmonton Paraguay vs. France 5pm ET
Previous Tournaments
Japan 2012
Winner: USA
Runners-up: Germany
Third: Japan
Fourth: Nigeria
Adidas Golden Ball: Dzsenifer MAROZSAN (GER)
Adidas Golden Boot: KIM Un Hwa (PRK)
Adidas Golden Glove: Laura BENKARTH (GER)
FIFA Fair Play award: Japan
Germany 2010
Winner: Germany
Runners-up: Nigeria
Third: Korea Republic
Fourth: Colombia
Adidas Golden Ball: Alexandra POPP (GER)
Adidas Golden Boot: Alexandra POPP (GER)
adidas Golden Glove: Bianca HENNINGER (USA)
FIFA Fair Play award: Korea Republic
Chile 2008
Winner: USA
Runners-up: Korea DPR
Third: Germany
Fourth: France
Adidas Golden Ball: Sydney LEROUX (USA)
adidas Golden Shoe: Sydney LEROUX (USA)
adidas Golden Glove: Alyssa NAEHER (USA)
FIFA Fair Play award: USA
Russia 2006
Winner: Korea DPR
Runners-up: China PR
Third: Brazil
Fourth: USA
Adidas Golden Ball: MA Xiaoxu (CHN)
Adidas Golden Shoe: MA Xiaoxu (CHN)
FIFA Fair Play award: Russia, Korea DPR
Thailand 2004
Winner: Germany
Runners-Up: China PR
Third: USA
Fourth: Brazil
Adidas Golden Ball: MARTA (BRA)
Adidas Golden Shoe: Brittany TIMKO (CAN)
FIFA Fair Play award: USA
Canada 2002
Winner: USA
Runners-Up: Canada
Third: Germany
Fourth: Brazil
Adidas Golden Ball: Christine SINCLAIR (CAN)
Adidas Golden Shoe: Christine SINCLAIR (CAN)
FIFA Fair Play award: Japan
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