Falconets beat England 3-0, coach warns focus on Colombia quarterfinal
Nigeria's Falconets secured a 3-0 victory over England in Bielsko-Biała to reach the quarterfinal of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, with goals from Tosin Rafiu, Janet Akekoromowei and Mary Mamudu. Goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma made six saves, including a penalty stop, to preserve the win.
Coach Moses Aduku warned the team to forget the result and concentrate on the Sunday quarterfinal against Colombia in Łódź, noting the Colombians eliminated tournament hosts Poland 1-0. He said dwelling on the England win would be unwise and that the squad must match ambition with discipline.
Nigeria is seeking its first semifinal appearance since 2014, when they finished runners-up, and has never won the U20 Women’s World Cup. The Falconets have a historical edge, having beaten Colombia 1-0 in the 2010 semifinal thanks to an early goal by Ebere Orji. The team trained Saturday after the Nigeria Football Federation settled outstanding daily allowances for players and officials.
Acting NFF General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme urged the players to maintain focus as the tournament enters its decisive stages, stating tough teams get tougher when the going gets tough. The quarterfinal presents Nigeria with both an immediate test and a chance to revive a tradition of deep runs and move within two matches of a maiden title.