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Anthony Nlebem.
Ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final match-up against Colombia at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, former Super Falcons head coach, Eucharia Uche, has urged the Flamongos to stay focused and unrelenting in their bid to reach the final of the tournament.
Flamingos battle Colombia in a make-or-break semi-final clash on Wednesday at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margoa.
“Nothing is stopping them from playing in the finals, I foresee our girls playing in the final because Colombia are beatable and I will encourage them to keep up the good spirit, never-say-die attitude until it’s over,” Uche told The PUNCH.
Uche, the first female coach to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2011, warned Flamingos not to get carried away after breaking their quarter-final jinx and playing in the semi-final for the first time, noting that there was more work to be done.
“I will advise them to remain focused in a competition of this nature, this is the World Cup, the higher you go, the tougher it becomes because you are now meeting teams that struggled to get to where you are. They should not relax and celebrate for too long when there is more work to do ahead.”
On the Flamingos’ technical crew, the 49-year-old added, “At this level, they should double their efforts and play the remaining two matches with caution, not to be in a hurry, because every team at this stage is good, they will capitalise on the mistakes of their opponents. The fewer mistakes they make the better for the team.”