Nigeria’s Falconets will be under pressure to respond when they face China in their second Group F fixture at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, following their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Spain in the opening game.
Moses Aduku’s side arrived in Poland with high expectations, backed by Nigeria’s impressive history at the U-20 Women’s World Cup. However, the Falconets struggled to find their rhythm against the 2022 champions and were punished by a Spanish side that showed greater composure and efficiency in the decisive moments.
The defeat has left Nigeria with little room for another below-par performance against China, particularly with New Caledonia still to come.
Aduku was brutally honest in his assessment after the loss, admitting that his players failed to perform at their expected level.
“We did not come to the party today, we did not play.”
