Flamingos Are World Champions - Retrospective Reflection Vs Japan

These ladies have not only inspired a generation of young girls, they have also inspired the collective consciousness of a nation to that fact, as a people, people of this (once upon a time) great nation of Nigeria, if we put our minds into anything, we can achieve everything; everything (that the Flamingos set their minds to), they achieved in this tournament, and then some!

Up to this tournament, I never thought a Nigeria national women's under age team can produce lightning fast Usain Bolt sprinters who combine speed, athletism and guile with Lazer-like focus and the determination of a tigress hell bent on catching and devouring her prey.

And devour they did.

Against Japan, the Flamingos imposed themselves ruthlessly, dictating the pace and tempo of the match whilst leaving Japan to play catch-up and eat crumbs.

However, after Japan made their substitutions in like 70 minutes, the table turned and the Asians latched on to a second wind on the hope of sailing back into the encounter with renewed hunger, vigour and bite.

Hence they pulled 1 back and, with the last gasp of a dying woman, they were close, mightily close, to drawing level but for some last ditch never-say-die defending from our defenders who stood tall and stood in for our goalkeeper who was uncharacteristically jittery on the night.

Our overlapping fullbacks came good on the night, again, as they have done throughout the tournament: a staple of Coach Busari's tactical philosophy. They often pushed up, stayed up to deliver telling crosses. Their actions might seem minimal but, what it did was pin Japan to their own half, keeping the Asians on the back foot for long spells.

Our transition was good and our build-up was.... hmmm odd and funny to say the least, whilst we progressed the ball well up the pitch and penetrated the Japanese severally, with one 1 v 1 situation with their goalkeeper saw our striker's attempt at rounding the goalie being unsuccessful.

Having established the aforementioned, let me revisit our "build-up". You see, no successful team in international football plays like the Flamingos, none in the history of the game. Their build-up was characterised by rushed, hurried, inelegant, often heavy passes and transitions from defence, deep midfield to the centre forward seemed wayward. Whereas, under normal circumstances, this should never work, the sheer speed, raw pace, physicality, impeccable determination from our strikers, attacking midfielders, and wingers meant this approach yeilded the second goal against Japan (and indeed many goals leading up to the final).

Did any of you notice how Japan dedicated 4, yes 4 defenders to our wingers and offensive midfielders, knowing fully well that these girls are faster than a Ferrari and will latch on to those erratically aimless long balls from deep to cause unimaginable harm in their box 18, if care, extra care, is not taken.

Even for Under 17 football, how Coach Busari made this unconventional, unimaginative, streets-football-on-a-muddy-surface, crude method to work at a global stage to dislodged world beaters like North Korea, Japan, Venezuela and Brazil is beyond me! I can never comprehend it!

The brand of football might not live long in the memory, but the beauty of the achievement will.

Back to the Japan match: the low crosses into the box 18 were fabulous; the, at times, smooth, intricate and precise passes were delightful; the speculative shot for the superlative mistake from Japan goalkeeper for our first goal was adorable.

All in all, the Flamingos earned their keep. Their unconventional style got them all the way to the finals and won them their Gold.

Their lives will never be the same. Posterity will remember each of them as first African players to lift the Trophy in any FIFA women's tournament at any grade: WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT!

Congratulations Flamingos; Congratulations Coach Busari; Congratulations Nigeria!