By

Eniola Olatunji 

Canada at the Estadio Ataniso, Girdot in Columbia on Saturday night held France to a 3-3 draw in the first match of Group B at the Columbia U20 female world cup.

19 year old, Nyah Rose of Canada who is from a football family almost nicked the record scoring Canada’s first goal against France at the Estadio Atanasio, Giradot in the 4th minute against France. 

Nyah’s mother, Karen Rose had played at University of Toronto while her sister, Jade Rose is a vital player for Havard University. Nyah Margaret Rose plays club football at NDC, Ontario.

A 20 year old Marcia Ramirez who plays for Atlas W Club of Mexico on Saturday at the Estadio El Campin, Bojota emerged the first scorer of the Columbia world U20 female football tournament scoring against Cameroon in the 3rd minute of play form a Saldivar set up in attack.

France tried a faceoff with an equalizer from FC Nantes’ Forward, Dona Scannapieco in the 8th minute from a Mossard connect but Zoe Martresini who supplied the assist from the first goal by Nyah Rose got a telegraphic pass from Smith to bang in the 2nd goal for Canada in the 22nd minute of play.

A heart breaking moment came in the 49th minute when Dona Scannapieco got the first brace of the tournament for France in an equalizer which went through the VAR process for approval in the 50th minute.

Defender Hillary Diaz of FC Girondine de Bourdeux got the 3rd goal for France in the 67th minute but Nigeria’s Annabelle Chukwu born in England but plays for NDC of Ontario came in as a substitute to replace Nyah Rose in the 63rd minute got an assist from Watson to score the much needed leveler at 84th minute.

I report that Annabelle Chukwu’s twin sister, Isabelle Chukwu also plays for Canadian National Youth team. She did not make the Columbia 2024 squad.

France and Canada are gradually becoming regulars at the U20 women’s world cup finals with their 8th appearances each yet they only met once at the age group world cup on 15th August 2022 when French Little Blues Girls beat Canada 3-1.

France placed 4th in 2008 when Germany stopped them in the 3rd Place Match 5-3; France was denied the title in Papua New Guinea by North Korea that beat the French Girls 3-1 in the final.

The Reds of Canada hosted the first edition of the competition in 2002 and lost the finals to USA by a lone goal via the Golden Goal rule. From that time Canada never had a podium finish.  That 2002, Christine Sinclair who later became a female veteran from that country was the PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT as she also won the GOLDEN BOOT for highest goal scorer with 11 goals. Brittany Timko won the same GOLDEN BOOT trophy at Thailand 2004 with 7 goals while hosting in 2014, Canada won the FAIR PLAY trophy.

France on 12th August 2022 lost to Nigeria 0-1 at the last world cup; beat Canada 3-1; beat Korea by a lone goal and also played 3-3 with Japan.

Canadian records were of CONCAF Championships beating Panama 5-0 on 28th May 2023; lost to USA 2-5 on 30th May 2023; also lost to Mexico by 1-2 and rounded Costa Rica 5-3 after Extra Time on 4th June 2023.    

Tomorrow Sunday, Spain will play the USA in a group C match at 2100 hours while at the same time Germany will face Venezuela in group D match.

Also tomorrow at midnight Nigerian time, Brazil will tackle Fiji Islands in group B and hosts Columbia will play their first group A match against Australia at midnight. 

The 11th World U20 Football tournament will take place in Colombia from Saturday 31st August 2024 to Sunday 22nd September with an upgrade from a previous 16 nation participants to 24 countries for the first time. 

Africa will be playing in four different Groups in Columbia. Cameroon is in Group A with hosts Columbia, Australia and Mexico. Morocco will be in Group C with Spain, USA and Paraguay. The Falconets of Nigeria will tackle Germany, Venezuela and Korea in Group D while Ghana will line up against Japan, New Zealand and Austria in Group E.