FOUR years ago in Germany, Nigeria's U-20 women's team, Falconets, took everyone by surprise by reaching the final of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Though the coach Adet Egan-led Falconets lost the title to the host country, Germany, they were able to set a record as the first African women team to play in the final of a FIFA World Cup.

Four years on, the Falconets are on the move once again, this time in Canada. The team will trade tackles with Korea in a semifinal encounter today and the players and their officials are talking tough.

For Coach Peter Dedevbo, anything short of the final ticket today will not be accepted. Reasons: Coach Dedevbo had on two different occasions suffered defeats in the hands of the Koreans in the FIFA World Cup at the U-17 level. He was in charge of the Flamingoes at the 2010 edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, where they lost to the fast moving Koreans in the quarterfinals.

Two years later, he led the same team to another quarterfinal finish, no thanks to another defeat in the hands of the Koreans.

"My team has played against the Koreans twice in 2010 and 2012 at the U-17 level in which we lost. But this time around, it will be a different ball game," he said. "With this U-20 team (Falconets), that jinx of losing in the quarterfinal has been broken. We've made it to the semi-finals, and I am not scared of Korea DPR because I know that, with the quality of players I have, this team will qualify for the final," Dedevbo said.

Like all past matches played in this competition, Dedevbo is aiming to score early goals in today's match against the Koreans. He is banking on the experience of players like Asisat Oshoala, who emerged MVP in the game against New Zealand, Uchechi Sunday, Ugo Njoku, Courtney Dike, Loveth Ayinla, Chinwendu Ihezuo, Uchenna Kanu, Yetunde Adeboyejo, Sarah Nnodim and team captain, Patience Okaeme, to do the damage against the Koreans later today.

To the coach, who led the Falconets to the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup four years ago in Germany, Adat Egan, the girls must be business minded in this encounter to defeat the Koreans.

He noted that picking a final ticket at any FIFA competition requires high tactical approach and discipline. "They have done well so far, but this is the stage our girls need to show that they are much hungrier for the title. For Korea to get to this stage of the competition means they are very good. I wish Falconets the best of luck," Egan said.

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Nothing short of the title will be enough for me. We re beating the koreans 2dy. The land is green. Go falconets GO.