Nigeria’s Falconets have arrived in Bielsko-Biała ahead of their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Round of 16 clash with England on Thursday, with head coach Moses Aduku confident his side can overcome the challenge and keep their title hopes alive.
The match at the Bielsko-Biała Stadium is scheduled for 2pm Nigerian time, with Nigeria entering the knockout stage on the back of a remarkable turnaround in Poland.
The Falconets began Group C with a 2-0 defeat to Spain before playing out a goalless draw against China, leaving their hopes of progressing to the last 16 in need of a significant response in their final group fixture.
They delivered exactly that against tournament debutants New Caledonia, producing their biggest performance of the competition with a 10-1 victory in Łódź.
That result secured Nigeria’s place in the knockout rounds and provided a much-needed boost ahead of the meeting with England, who finished second in Group B on four points behind Brazil.
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Aduku was pleased with the progress his team made against New Caledonia but believes the defensive side of their game must improve if they are to advance further.
“We’re really happy with the goals we scored today. We wanted to get through to the last 16, and we’ve shown that we can do it,” Aduku told FIFA.
“We’ve shipped a few too many goals in this tournament so far, so we’ll be looking to shore things up at the back.”
The England challenge therefore presents a very different test from the one Nigeria faced in their final group match, and Aduku is under no illusion about the quality of the opposition.
However, the Falconets coach believes his players have the mentality required for a knockout contest, particularly with the team’s championship ambitions now entering a decisive stage.
“It’s going to be a tough test,” he said.
“If you want to be crowned champions, you’ve got to win every game. We’re ready for the challenge.”
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After travelling from Sosnowiec, where they played Spain and China, to Łódź for the New Caledonia fixture, the Falconets have now settled in Bielsko-Biała with a quarterfinal place at stake.
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