By Kabiru Abdulrauf,
Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, produced a clinical performance to advance to the third round of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, defeating Rwanda 4-0 at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan on Saturday.
Having secured a slim 1-0 win in Kigali, the Falconets completed a 5-0 aggregate victory, reaffirming their status as one of Africa’s most formidable youth sides.
Head Coach Moses Aduku’s side wasted no time asserting dominance, opening the scoring in the 13th minute when Janet Akekoromewei’s blistering run down the right flank set up Precious Oscar for a composed finish. Just three minutes later, Tumininu Adesina doubled the lead with a spectacular corner kick that went straight into the net — a goal that highlighted Nigeria’s set-piece precision.
The second half saw the Falconets maintain their attacking intensity. Janet capped her excellent performance with a long-range strike in the 60th minute, before substitute Taiwo Afolabi put the result beyond doubt with a cool stoppage-time finish.
Beyond the goals, the Falconets’ display showed a growing tactical maturity. The midfield controlled possession, the defense stayed compact to nullify Rwanda’s counterattacks, and the team’s substitutions injected energy late in the game. Aduku’s ability to rotate players without losing momentum suggests Nigeria has depth and versatility heading into tougher fixtures.
The Falconets will now likely face Senegal, who hold a 2-0 advantage over Algeria ahead of their second leg. That clash could prove decisive in determining one of Africa’s representatives at the 2026 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
With their blend of speed, technical quality, and clinical edge, Nigeria will enter the next round as favourites — but Aduku will be keen to maintain focus and sharpen his team’s finishing ahead of stiffer opposition.
