Nigeria’s U-20 women’s team, the Falconets, claimed a narrow but crucial 1–0 victory over Senegal in the first leg of their 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
A second-half strike from Kindness Ifeanyi in the 50th minute proved decisive, giving Nigeria the advantage heading into the return leg scheduled for February 14.
Despite dominating spells of the encounter, the Falconets were unable to extend their lead, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of the second leg. However, head coach Moses Adukwu remained confident that Nigeria will secure qualification.
“This result does not change anything for us. I can assure Nigerians that we will get the ticket,” Adukwu said after the match.
Addressing concerns over the AstroTurf pitch at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta, the Falconets’ coach dismissed suggestions that the playing surface contributed to the slim margin of victory.
“The pitch is not a factor. We have played on natural grass before in Ibadan, and today’s result has nothing to do with the surface,” he explained.
Aduku also defended his players, describing the performance as an off day rather than a reflection of their quality.
“Today was just a bad day for the girls. I will not question their talent because of one game. These players have shown their quality before, and they will show it again.”
The coach added that the team’s focus has already shifted to the return leg, where he expects a stronger and more convincing display.
Nigeria will travel for the second leg on February 14, needing only to avoid defeat to progress, while Senegal must overturn the deficit to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Comments
Post a Comment