Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets, have expressed confidence in their readiness for Saturday’s 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup third round, first leg clash with their counterparts from Senegal.
During the pre-match press conference held on Friday evening, Head Coach Moses Aduku and team captain Joy Igbokwe highlighted the team’s preparedness, mindset, and fitness levels as the Falconets get set for the decisive two-legged tie that will determine progress in the qualification race for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals.
Coach Aduku confirmed that the squad has undergone intensive training in camp and remains fully focused on the task ahead, stressing that every match is approached with the seriousness of a final in order to maintain the right mentality and match sharpness. “The players are fit, focused, and ready. We have worked very hard in camp, and we approach every match with the seriousness of a final to maintain the right mentality and match sharpness,”
Captain Joy Igbokwe echoed the coach’s confidence, noting that the squad is united, focused, and fully aware of what is at stake. She emphasized that the team is ready to give its best performance in the home fixture before carrying the same level of commitment into the return leg in Senegal.
Providing an update on the squad, Coach Aduku disclosed that two players who sustained minor knocks are being carefully managed and have returned to limited training, while one player has fully recovered from illness. Coach Aduku further appealed to Nigerian football fans to come out in their numbers to support the team, noting that strong home backing can play a significant role in boosting the players confidence and performance.
“The support of our fans will be very important to us, especially playing at home. It gives the players extra confidence and motivation.”
Saturday’s encounter will take place at the MKO Abiola Sports Abeokuta, with the return leg scheduled for Dakar on Saturday, 14th February.
