Falconets Ready for Senegal Test as Aduku Exudes Confidence
Head Coach Moses Aduku has voiced his confidence in the Nigeria U20 women’s team, the Falconets, as they intensify preparations for their FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying clash against Senegal.
The two-time World Cup silver-medalists have been in camp for several weeks, with all invited players present and showing strong commitment to training.
Aduku praised the team’s discipline, tactical organization, and cohesion, noting that the technical crew has worked diligently to refine strategies and balance attacking flair with defensive solidity.
He highlighted the importance of securing a convincing result in the first leg on home soil, scheduled for Saturday, 7th February at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
The return leg will take place a week later, on 14th February, in Dakar, Senegal. Friendly matches have been instrumental in testing the team’s system of play, and Aduku described the performances as encouraging.
The Falconets, who reached the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Japan 14 years ago, will move to Ibadan on 27th January to continue their build-up to the crucial fixture.
While avoiding bold predictions, Aduku expressed belief in the quality and mentality of his players, pointing to their competitive displays in recent friendlies. He reaffirmed the team’s determination to make Nigeria proud and secure qualification.
The winner of the Nigeria-Senegal tie will advance to the final round of qualifiers, where they will face either Guinea Bissau or Malawi for one of Africa’s four tickets to the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, set to run from 5th to 27th September.
