Aduku rallies Falconets for stiff test against Senegal in Dakar
Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team head coach, Moses Aduku, has warned against complacency as the Falconets prepare for the second leg of their 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying
Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team head coach, Moses Aduku, has warned against complacency as the Falconets prepare for the second leg of their 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying tie against Senegal.
Nigeria hold a slender 1–0 advantage following first leg win at the Moshood Abiola Sports Arena, Abeokuta, where substitute Kindness Ifeanyi headed home the solitary winner in the second half.
Despite the advantage, Aduku insisted that the Falconets will maintain an aggressive approach when they travel to Dakar, Senegal, for the return fixture.
“We are not going there to sit back and defend; that would be dangerous,” Aduku said after the match.
“We will do our best to score first and then build on that.”
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The coach acknowledged Senegal’s competitiveness but expressed confidence in his team’s quality and consistency.
“They fought well, but we know we have the quality to beat them. It will be the same approach in the second leg.”
Reflecting on the first-leg victory, Aduku praised his players for their resilience in what he described as a demanding encounter.
“It was a tough game, but the important thing is that we have an advantage going into the second leg. I must commend the players because they fought hard for this win.”
The Falconets are expected to step up preparations in the coming days as they target qualification for the final round of the qualifiers.
The decisive second leg will be played on Saturday, 14 February, in Dakar.
