Head Coach Christopher Musa Danjuma is confident that Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, will secure another victory when they face Mexico in a friendly match on Monday.
Fresh off a thrilling win over Australia, Danjuma believes that maintaining their winning streak is crucial as they prepare for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia.
“Our victory over Australia was such a sweet one, but I have told the ladies to drive it into the recesses of their minds and concentrate on Monday’s encounter,” Danjuma said. “We need another victory to sustain our winning mentality.”
The Falconets have been in impressive form, winning five of their six qualifying matches with dominant scorelines and adding a 2-1 victory over Australia to their achievements. In the African qualifying campaign, they scored 25 goals and conceded just two, demonstrating their formidable prowess.
As they prepare to face Mexico, Danjuma emphasized the importance of mental and psychological readiness. “Physically and mentally, I believe we are in shape. Psychologically, we are good, and we will be great if we defeat the Mexicans to go into the competition unbeaten.”
Mexico, a team that has only missed one edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup since its inception in 2002, is expected to present a tough challenge. The match will kick off at 3:30 PM Colombia time (9:30 PM Nigeria time) at the Club Banco de la República in Bogota.
Danjuma’s squad has been bolstered by players with experience in the senior national team, the Super Falcons. This includes defenders Jumoke Alani, Rofiat Imuran, Comfort Folorunsho, and forwards Opeyemi Ajakaye, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, and Flourish Sabastine. Notably, Folorunsho and Ajakaye were part of the Nigeria U17 team that finished third at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in India two years ago.
With a blend of experienced and young talent, the Falconets are determined to carry their momentum into the World Cup, beginning with a strong performance against Mexico.
