By Onyekachi Chimezie
Head coach of Nigeria U-17 women’s team Olowookere Bankole has stated the reasons behind the Flamingos’ 2-1 loss to European giants Germany on Tuesday evening.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with NFF TV after the match, coach Olowookere Bankole said that the team were forced to adapt to the Germans game’s play.
“At a time we were forced to play their pattern, we are to play the ball on the ground and when they lift the ball we join them in lifting the ball so we are going to come to our normal game of taking the ball on so they were forcing themselves on us but we maintained our the style of play and I think that’s one of those things but I think there was loss of concentration honestly,” he said.
The Flamingos, in front of fans at the Pandit Jawaharlal Stadium in Goa, fell to a 2-1 defeat to Germany after taking the lead in the half-hour mark courtesy of Miracle Usani’s free-kick before Svea Stoldt and Mara Alber scored to win the game for Germany.
On Friday, the team led by coach Bankole Olowookere must defeat New Zealand in the second match in group B.
