WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Ifeanyi Header Gives Falconets Narrow Win Over Senegal
Perennial Nigeria Falconets and two-time runners-up at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup made their dominance count only once, edging Senegal 1–0 in the first leg of their third-round African qualifying fixture for this year’s finals in Poland.
Nigeria created a host of scoring opportunities but had just Kindness Ifeanyi’s 51st-minute header to show for their superiority, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of the return leg in Dakar next Saturday.
Introduced after the break, Ifeanyi made an immediate impact, powering home a header from a corner kick delivered by defender Tumininu Adeshina to give the Falconets a deserved lead.
Nigeria’s preparations were briefly disrupted in the first half when leading striker Janet Akekoromowei was forced off through injury. Despite the setback, Shakirat Moshood and Taiwo Afolabi spearheaded a series of dangerous attacks that could have yielded more goals.
The Falconets controlled large spells of the match, pressing high and covering every blade of grass. Their first clear opening came in the 12th minute when Moshood skipped past two defenders, but her cross was blocked and cleared by the Senegalese backline.
Senegal responded in the 20th minute through Sokhna Nogaye, who took advantage of a brief defensive lapse, but Nigeria goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma reacted sharply to deny the visitors. The first caution of the game arrived in the 25th minute when Khady Thiandoume was booked for a reckless challenge on Akekoromowei.
Nigeria came close again on 30 minutes as Moshood fired a point-blank effort that was brilliantly saved by Senegal goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye. Five minutes later, a slick exchange between Moshood and Akekoromowei almost produced the opener before a last-ditch defensive clearance forced a corner.
After Ifeanyi’s breakthrough goal early in the second half, Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure. Ndiaye was called into action again in the 66th minute to deny Ifeanyi a second, while Moshood was twice thwarted from close range as Senegal struggled to contain Nigeria’s relentless tempo.
Adeshina nearly doubled the lead in the 76th minute when her in-swinging corner struck the crossbar, summing up Nigeria’s frustration in front of goal.
Despite settling for a narrow victory, the Falconets head to Dakar with an advantage as both sides prepare for another fierce contest, with the aggregate winner advancing to the final round of the qualification series for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
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Benin’s U20 women’s team took a significant step toward qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after forward Romane Gandonou inspired a crucial 1–0 away victory over Egypt.
Fresh from scoring a hat-trick in Benin’s emphatic 5–1 win over Guinea in the previous round, Gandonou once again underlined her growing reputation as the Amazons’ attacking talisman. Her lone strike proved decisive, handing Benin a valuable advantage from the first leg of the tie.
From the opening minutes, Gandonou troubled the Egyptian defence with her pace, intelligent movement and sharp positioning. Her clinical finish broke the deadlock and set the tone for a disciplined Beninese performance that frustrated the hosts for long spells.
While the Benin side showed collective organisation and composure to manage the tempo of the match, it was Gandonou’s moment of individual brilliance that separated the two teams. The goal further cemented her status as the focal point of Benin’s attack and an indispensable figure in the current qualifying campaign.
Attention now shifts to the return leg, scheduled for 13 February in Lomé, where Egypt face a demanding task to overturn the deficit. Benin, buoyed by their away success, will head into the second leg with renewed confidence and realistic hopes of booking a place at the next FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
With her consistency in front of goal and decisive contributions at key moments, Gandonou has emerged as the driving force behind Benin’s qualification push — and the Amazons will be counting on her once again as the campaign reaches its defining stage.
First-Leg Fixtures – 3rd Round of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026 Qualifiers:
Date Time Match Saturday, 7 February 2026 13:00 Kenya vs Tanzania 14:00 Uganda vs Zambia 16:00 Nigeria vs Senegal 17:00 Cameroon vs Botswana 17:00 Guinea-Bissau vs Malawi Sunday, 8 February 2026 16:30 Ghana vs South Africa 18:00 Côte d’Ivoire vs DR Congo Friday, 13 February 2026 14:00 Botswana vs Cameroon 17:00 Benin vs Egypt Saturday, 14 February 2026 13:30 Malawi vs Guinea-Bissau 14:00 Tanzania vs Kenya 14:00 South Africa vs Ghana 14:00 Zambia vs Uganda 16:00 DR Congo vs Côte d’Ivoire 18:00 Senegal vs Nigeria
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Nigeria’s U20 women’s national team, the Falconets, have expressed strong confidence ahead of Saturday’s third-round, first-leg clash against Senegal in the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday evening, Falconets head coach Moses Aduku said his players are fully prepared, focused and mentally ready for the crucial two-legged tie that will decide progression in the qualification race.
Aduku revealed that the team has undergone intensive preparations in camp and stressed the importance of treating every fixture as a final.
“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,” he said.
Team captain Joy Igbokwe echoed her coach’s confidence, noting that the squad is united and fully aware of what is at stake. She said the Falconets are determined to secure a positive result at home before taking the same level of commitment into the return leg in Senegal.
“We are focused and ready to give our best in the home match, and we will carry that same determination into the second leg,” Igbokwe said.
Providing a fitness update, Aduku disclosed that two players who sustained minor knocks are being carefully managed and have returned to limited training, while another player has fully recovered from illness and is back with the squad.
The coach also appealed to Nigerian football fans to turn out in large numbers to support the team, stressing that home backing could be a key factor 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,” he added.
Saturday’s first leg will be played at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta, with the return leg scheduled for Dakar on Saturday, 14 February.
The winner over the two legs will move a step closer to securing a place at the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals.
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Senegal’s U20 women’s national team has arrived in Abeokuta, Ogun State, ahead of Saturday’s crucial FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup third-round, first-leg qualifying clash against Nigeria’s Falconets.
The Senegalese side, known as the Lionesses de Téranga, flew into Lagos on Tuesday night before proceeding by road to the Ogun State capital. The team is scheduled to hold its first training session on Wednesday evening as preparations intensify for the penultimate round of the qualifiers.
Nigeria’s U20 women, the Falconets, will be seeking a strong home performance in the two-legged tie, with the aggregate winner set to advance to the final qualifying round. The winner of the Nigeria–Senegal fixture will face either Guinea-Bissau or Malawi for a place at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Poland later this year.
The Confederation of African Football has appointed match officials from Uganda and Burundi to oversee Saturday’s encounter. Ugandan referee Diana Murungi will take charge of the match, assisted by her compatriots Immaculate Ongiera and Elizabeth Nassolo as assistant referees one and two, respectively. Suavis Iratunga of Burundi will serve as the fourth official.
Ghanaian Christine Ziga has been named match commissioner, while Berthe Minka of Gabon will act as referee assessor.
Saturday’s fixture represents the first leg of the third and final qualifying round for African teams seeking tickets to the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, with both sides eager to take a decisive step toward global qualification.
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