Nigeria Inches Closer to World Cup Qualification After Thrilling Win Over Senegal
- Nigeria beat Senegal 2-1 in the second leg to take one step closer at qualifying for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
- Kindness Ifeanyi and Precious Oscar scored decisive goals for the Falconets
- Nigeria will face Malawi in the final qualifying round for the 2026 U-20 Women’s World Cup
Nigeria’s Falconets moved closer to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026 with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Senegal in the second leg of the third qualifying round.
Played at the Annexe du Stade du Sénégal, the win sealed a 3-1 aggregate triumph, keeping Nigeria’s perfect record alive as the only African nation to qualify for every edition of the U-20 Women’s World Cup since its inception in 2002.
Source: Twitter
According to Soccernet, Kindness Ifeanyi opened the scoring in the 18th minute, rising highest to head in a corner.
After halftime, Precious Oscar doubled Nigeria’s advantage with another headed goal in the 68th minute.
Senegal managed to reduce the deficit late in the match, but it was too little, too late to overturn the tie.
The Falconets are now one step closer to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup set to be staged in Poland.
Historic record and Nigeria’s march to Poland
The World Cup first-leg victory in Abeokuta had already put Nigeria in a strong position.
Ifeanyi’s header in that game had given the Falconets a 1-0 advantage, which they carried into the second leg.
With the aggregate win, Nigeria now advances to the final qualifying round, where they will face Malawi U20 Women.
The team’s performance under Aduku demonstrates why Nigeria remains a powerhouse in African women’s football.
The Falconets’ success ensures they remain on track to maintain their unbroken record of World Cup appearances.
Confidence is high as the squad prepares for the next stage, where a win on aggregate will book a ticket to Poland in September.
Nigeria to face off against Malawi next
With Nigeria’s win confirmed, the eight teams for the final qualifying round are now set.
Source: Getty Images
Alongside the Falconets, Ghana U20 Women will face Uganda U20 Women, Cameroon U20 Women meet Tanzania U20 Women, and Benin U20 Women battle Ivory Coast U20 Women, as seen on CAF Online.
Malawi emerged as one of the strongest contenders, dominating Guinea-Bissau 5-1 at home, while Uganda and Ghana also advanced through narrow wins.
Ivory Coast and Tanzania completed the line-up, ensuring competitive fixtures in the final round.
As seen on FIFA's official website, the four winners of the upcoming round will earn their spots at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026, which kicks off on September 5.
For Nigeria, maintaining their flawless qualification record will require focus and determination as they face Malawi for a place on the world stage.
Falconets ready for Senegal showdown
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, will take a major step toward their World Cup dream when they face Senegal in the first leg of their third-round qualifier for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup on Saturday, February 7.
The match will now be played at 4pm at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta following a venue change approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Source: Legit.ng
