Nigeria’s U20 women’s football team, the Falconets, suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Mexico in an engaging pre-World Cup friendly on Monday evening in Bogota.
The match, played at the Club Banco de la República, was the final test for the Falconets before the 11th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, which kicks off on Saturday.
The only goal of the match came in the 20th minute when Mexico capitalized on a defensive lapse to take the lead. Despite conceding early, the Falconets responded with relentless pressure and crafted several opportunities, but were unable to break down the resilient Mexican defense.
NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, who was in attendance along with other key officials, commended the team for their spirited performance. “The Falconets showed remarkable determination and skill. Although the result didn’t go our way, the performance was encouraging and showed that the team is well-prepared for the challenges ahead,” Gusau stated. He urged the players to draw confidence from their recent 3-1 victory over Australia, another warm-up match played last week.
As the Falconets gear up for the World Cup, they face a tough group stage. Their first match will be against the Korea Republic on September 2nd at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota. They will then take on three-time champions Germany at the same venue on September 4th, before concluding the group phase against Venezuela on September 7th in Cali.
The Falconets, two-time silver medalists in the competition, aim to make a strong statement in this tournament, drawing inspiration from their performances in the warm-up matches. With a blend of experience and youthful energy, they are determined to make a deep run in the competition.
