Nigeria’s Falconets kept their FIFA U 20 Women’s World Cup campaign alive after holding China to a 0 0 draw in their second Group F match in Poland, as reported by Premium Times and ChannelsTv. The result gives Nigeria a crucial point following their 2 0 opening defeat to Spain, although the team remains under pressure ahead of its final group fixture against New Caledonia.
The draw represented a significant defensive improvement for Moses Aduku’s side, particularly against a China team that entered the encounter after a commanding 5 0 victory over New Caledonia. China had been leading the group on goal difference alongside Spain, while Nigeria began the match without a point after the loss to the European champions.
Nigeria’s final Group F match against New Caledonia on September 13 now becomes decisive. The tournament format allows the top two teams in each group and the four best third placed teams to advance to the Round of 16, meaning the Falconets still have a route into the knockout stage but will need a strong result in their final game and favourable results elsewhere.
The Falconets are two time runners up at the U 20 Women’s World Cup, having reached the final in 2010 and 2014, and have qualified for every edition of the tournament since its inception. Their immediate objective is now clear: turn the resilience shown against China into a decisive performance against New Caledonia and keep their pursuit of a first world title alive.
