By Boluwatife Kehinde
Nigeria’s Under-20 women’s national team, known as the Falconets, has intensified its preparations in advance of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Rwanda scheduled for September.
Following a commendable performance in the previous edition in 2024, where the team advanced to the Round of 16, Head Coach Moses Aduku has expressed confidence in the squad’s preparedness as they aim to secure a place in the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
Aduku acknowledged that the initial week of training camp posed challenges due to the players’ return from the off-season.
“So far, the players are responding positively to training,” Aduku stated.
“The initial week was particularly demanding as the players had been inactive for approximately two months. However, through rigorous conditioning and tactical drills, the team’s overall performance has shown improvement.”
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He further noted that Rwanda presents a formidable challenge, citing their strong teamwork and pace, having closely analysed their gameplay.
“Rwanda is a resilient team characterised by effective teamwork and speed. Nonetheless, we have conducted a thorough analysis of their matches and are developing strategies to mitigate their strengths. We still have two additional weeks for preparation, and I am confident that the girls will be ready,” he added.
In the lead-up to the matches, the Falconets will travel to Kigali for the first leg on September 21, 2025, followed by hosting the return fixture at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan on September 27, 2025.
