AFCON 2025
Nigeria’s Falconets booked their place in the last eight of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with an emphatic 3-0 victory over England on Thursday afternoon in Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
Tosin Rafiu gave Nigeria an early lead in the fourth minute as he displayed brilliant composure before slotting the bal into the bottom-left corner.
England missed the opponent to restore parity from the penalty spot as Nigeria’s Christiana Uzoma parried Rachel Maltby’s attempt imto the cross bar before saving the attempt.
Janet Akekoromowei doubled the advantage shortly after the restart, before substitute Mary Mamudu off the bench sealed the win in the 73rd minute with an open net finish toregister her first goal of the tournament.
The result continues Nigeria’s impressive record against the Young Lionesses in the competition and sets up a quarter-final clash against the winner of hosts Poland versus Colombia.
The Falconets, who finished second in Group F after a 10-1 thrashing of New Caledonia, controlled large periods of the round-of-16 encounter and capitalised on their chances clinically.
England, who advanced as one of the best third-placed teams, struggled to create clear openings and were ultimately outclassed.
The victory keeps Nigeria as Africa’s sole remaining representative in the tournament and underlines the side’s attacking threat under head coach Moses Aduku. The Falconets will now turn their attention to the quarter-finals as they chase a deep run in Poland.
