The second day of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia promises to be an exciting one, with defending champions Spain taking on the USA in a highly anticipated matchup.
The two teams will face off at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali Today Sunday, September 1, at 6 pm Nigerian time
Spain, who are aiming to become the first nation to win the tournament in consecutive editions, have been preparing for the competition with a mix of double training sessions and lighter visits to local sights. Their squad is looking strong, despite a scoreless draw against Korea DPR in their final warm-up match.
The USA, on the other hand, boasts a record eight professional players, including star forward Ally Sentnor, who has been a standout in the NWSL this season. The Americans have built up to the tournament with positive showings in friendlies against Mexico and Korea Republic and are looking to make a strong impression in Colombia.
In other matches, Paraguay will face debutants Morocco at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero, while Germany will take on Venezuela at the Estadio El Techo in Bogota. Nigeria will also face Korea Republic at the Estadio El Techo, looking to continue their strong record in the competition.
The coaches of the respective teams have been speaking ahead of the matches, with USA head coach Tracey Kevins saying, “It’s really good for us to start with Spain. I think most people would think that sounds a bit crazy, but we really want the chance to test ourselves against the best.”
Paraguay forward Fatima Acosta added, “We want to do well at the World Cup. We want to give it our all and compete. We’re not there just to make up the numbers.”
Germany defender Jella Veit said, “As a team, we have good cohesion and don’t have any megastars. Of course, each member is special and strong in their own way, but our superpower is our team spirit.”
Nigeria head coach Christopher Danjuma expressed his confidence in his team, saying, “I think we’re closing in on our goal. As Africans, we have a spiritual perspective. We are confident….and I am certain Africa will stand at the top of the world for the first time.”
