Following the Flamingos’ loss to Colombia in Wednesday’s semifinal of the U-17 Ladies’s World Cup in Goa, head coach Bankole Olowookere assured the Nigerians that the ladies nonetheless have rather a lot to play for in third place.

Flamingos misplaced 6-5 on penalties to the South American workforce on Wednesday after the sport ended goalless in regulation time.

In his post-game response, Flamingos head coach Bankole Olowookere mirrored on his workforce’s semi-final loss and plans for the third-place recreation.

“It is occurred like this, you’ll be able to’t management it, and they will really feel the ache, think about if we had been enjoying the ultimate. I will give them time to soak in and after some time, we’ll go in as dad and mom, as dad and mom, I will discuss to them and the remainder of my technical workforce will play our position as dad and mom and calm them down.

“All is just not misplaced, if we will put our heads collectively, we will nonetheless get one thing within the third place match.

“The ladies have achieved effectively, that is the semi-final, a fantastic stage within the event, it’s a very robust match. As I instructed you, the additional you progress, the harder it turns into. Colombia is a tricky opponent; it is unlucky that they did not win the match throughout regulation time”.

He additionally refused accountable Consolation Folorunsho, who missed the penalty kick that gave Colombia victory, and insisted that any participant might have missed a penalty kick.

“The one that missed their penalty is our specialist in taking a penalty, that’s the recreation of penalties and I can not say greater than that as a result of they’re nonetheless younger and I do not know when they may hear this interview. They’ve given all the things, anybody can miss a penalty, even the perfect gamers on the earth and the greats prior to now have missed penalties, so that they shouldn’t be crucified. It is unlucky, anybody can rating and anybody can miss a penalty.”

“The ladies have achieved their greatest to take Nigeria far on this event they usually have achieved effectively for the nation.

Alternatively, the captain of the Flamingos, Alvine Dah-Zossu, additionally regretted the loss, however promised that the workforce will work exhausting to ship the bronze medal.

“Wednesday’s loss was actually devastating, we wished to play within the remaining, however we did not make it.

“We had been damage and heartbroken final night time, I need to apologize to the followers who believed in us. We’ve got gotten up and can do all the things to win the bronze medal.”

The Flamingos face Germany within the opening match of the group stage within the bronze medal match on Sunday.