FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Matchday 6 - Player of the Match - FIFA Training Centre

First up were the simultaneous 5pm kick-offs in Group D, with the Netherlands facing Ghana at the Estadio Nacional and the USA playing Japan at the Alajuela Morera Soto Stadium.

Netherlands 4-1 Ghana

Player of the Match: (7) Liz Rijsbergen (NED)

The Netherlands came into this match with Ghana knowing that victory would likely secure progression to the quarter-finals.

Their playing style on this occasion remained consistent with their earlier matches, as they looked to build play through the thirds, and they opened the scoring on 28 minutes when Liz Rijsbergen tapped home at the back post from Ziva Henry's cross. The Dutch doubled their lead five minutes into the second half when Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan palmed Kim Everaerts' cross straight into the path of Henry, who added a goal to her earlier assist.

Ghana pulled a goal back when Doris Boaduwaa curled a lovely effort beyond Lisan Alkemade, but the Netherlands soon put the game beyond doubt, with two further goals from Rijsbergen and Marit Auée securing a 4-1 victory.

Rijsbergen's excellent performance, which included two goals, secured the Player of the Match award from our Technical Study Group. Speaking after the game, our observer Anja Mittag commented, “Rijsbergen was so involved in all of their attacking play, but she worked very hard to get into great positions. For her first goal, you could see she really wanted to score it.”

“She was so active, constantly moving and creating opportunities for her team-mates to progress the ball. It was enjoyable to watch her play,” Mittag added.

USA 1-3 Japan

Player of the Match: (14) Manaka Matsukubo (JPN)

Japan came into this final round of group games at the top of Group D, with six points from their first two matches. The USA, on three points, knew that nothing less than a victory by two goals would be enough to see them progress to the quarter-finals.

Japan used contrasting styles of build-up play, blending short passing moves to break lines with longer balls over the USA's mid-block.

The opening half developed into a tactical battle, with neither team creating many clear-cut chances. But just ten minutes after the restart, Japan took the lead. USA centre-back Lily Reale was pressed by Yuzuki Yamamato, who won possession for Japan. She played a quick pass to Manaka Matsukubo, who cleverly cut inside to take two USA defenders out of the game before firing past goalkeeper Mia Justus.

Twelve minutes later, Japan doubled their lead from a well-worked short corner routine that left Shinomi Koyama perfectly positioned at the back post to score Japan's second goal. USA pulled one back two minutes later when Simone Jackson tapped home Alyssa Thompson's cross, but Japan got their third goal with six minutes of normal remaining when Haruna Tabata scored to make it 3-1.

The match was observed by our Technical Study Group, and it was the performance of Manaka Matsukubo that stood out. Commenting on the Japanese goalscorer, Mónica Vergara noted, “She's very technical, with great execution of passes, and she's good with the ball at her feet. She pins defenders to move away from them and receive the ball so she's extremely good at creating space.”

“Her work rate when her team was out of possession was so good. She was always pressing and on the moment of transition to attack, she was making fast forward runs to be available for counter-attacks or to keep possession,” Vergara concluded.

Final standings

From Group D, Japan progress as group winners with the Netherlands advancing as group runners-up. Japan will face France in their quarter-final, while the Netherlands will play Nigeria.

In the evening, attention turned to Group C, and the matches that would decide the last two quarter-finalists.

Nigeria 2-1 Canada

Player of the Match: (8) Esther Onyenezide (NGA)

This match got off to a blistering start, with both teams looking to press high and be on the front-foot. Within just two minutes, Canada took the lead. Kalia Novak pressed Nigeria goalkeeper Omini Oyono in her penalty area and blocked her attempted pass, the ball ricocheting off the Canada striker and into the net.

In the 24^th minute, Nigeria equalised from a well-executed Esther Onyenezide penalty after a hand-ball in the area. Just eight minutes later, Nigeria took the lead, and their second goal also came from the penalty spot. Onyenezide stepped forward again, this time placing her kick to the goalkeeper's left.

Nigeria then began to dominate the game, and forced a huge save from Canada goalkeeper Anna Karpenko just before half-time to keep the score at 2-1. Substitute Chioma Olise rounded off a fine performance late in second-half injury time with a tidy finish at the back post to make it 3-1.

For the second time in this tournament, Nigeria midfielder Esther Onyenezide was selected by our Technical Study Group as the Player of the Match. Once again, her impact on the game really stood out.

Speaking about Onyenezide's performance, Mónica Vergara said, “She is a player who can change the game. She is right-foot dominant but can also use her left with exceptional accuracy and power. The way she uses her body to protect the ball in duels is also very impressive. She's explosive in how she moves and changes direction and she has a very powerful shot.”

“As a midfielder she loves to get forward to the edge of the box but also does the defensive work. She moves away from opposition players and creates space for her team-mates. She is always positioned well to support fast counter-attacks and her two penalties were really well executed, placing each one to different sides of the goalkeeper,” she added.

Korea Republic 0-1 France

Player of the Match: (11) Vicki Becho (FRA)

At the Estadio Nacional there was a very tense encounter between Korea Republic and France, with both teams knowing the winner would advance to the last eight of the competition.

As expected, this was an extremely tactical match as both teams tried to find a way to secure that all-important goal, but it wasn't until the 74^th minute that the breakthrough finally came. After an initial French counter-attack was repulsed by the goalkeeper, Esther Mbaken-Niaro provided a great back-post finish from Vicki Becho's beautifully weighted cross.

It was Becho’s all-round performance that impressed the members of our Technical Study Group, and she was named Player of the Match. According to Anja Mittag, “Her defensive actions for her team were so good in this match. She tracked players, made three excellent tackles and was really effective in defensive 1v1's.”

“Her work rate for her team was so admirable and she was involved in all of France's attacks. Her all-round performance really stood out and the chipped cross she put in for the goal was just perfect and was a decisive moment of real quality for her team,” she added.