Nigeria’s Falconets began their final preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on a positive note, defeating hosts Poland U-20 1–0 in their first warm-up match.
Sports247 reports that the Nigerian side produced a disciplined performance at the end of a competitive encounter, with Mamudu Mary scoring the only goal of the match in first-half stoppage time.
Mary struck in the 45+1st minute, giving Nigeria a crucial advantage just before the interval. The goal ultimately proved decisive as the Falconets successfully protected their lead throughout the second half.
The victory provides an encouraging boost to the Nigerian team as they continue preparations for the global tournament in Poland.
The Falconets’ performance also offered the coaching crew an opportunity to assess the squad and fine-tune their tactical approach ahead of the World Cup, where Nigeria will once again carry significant expectations.
Despite being a friendly, the encounter provided valuable competitive preparation against the tournament hosts and allowed the Nigerian players to adapt further to the environment ahead of the main competition.
The Falconets will return to action on Tuesday, September 1, when they take on South Korea U-20 in their second warm-up fixture.
The match will be played at the Remes Resort & Spa Football Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Nigerian time.
Nigeria will hope to use the fixture to build on the confidence gained from their opening victory while continuing to work on their attacking efficiency and defensive organisation.
The Falconets remain one of Africa’s most consistent teams at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, having appeared at every edition of the competition since its inception.
With the tournament fast approaching, the coaching staff will be keen to use the remaining preparation matches to assess the squad, strengthen team chemistry and ensure the players are physically and tactically ready for the challenge ahead.
