Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
Nigeria's Under-20 women's national team, the Falconets, completed their preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup with a 1-1 draw against South Korea at the Remes Sports Leisure and Spa Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, a result that left head coach Moses Aduku satisfied with his side's readiness despite conceding a late penalty that denied them a second consecutive victory.
Mary Mamudu continued her remarkable scoring form in front of goal, breaking the deadlock in the 29th minute to give the Nigerian side a deserved lead. The forward, who had also scored the match-winner in the Falconets' previous friendly against tournament hosts Poland last Saturday, demonstrated her growing importance to the team's attacking setup with another composed finish. The Falconets carried their 1-0 advantage into the half-time break, having controlled large portions of the opening period and created several promising opportunities.
South Korea, however, emerged from the interval with renewed determination and intensity. The Asian side pushed forward relentlessly in search of an equaliser, and their persistence paid off in the 78th minute when they were awarded a penalty. The Koreans converted from the spot with 12 minutes remaining on the clock, restoring parity and ensuring the match would end level. Neither side could find a decisive goal in the closing stages as the encounter finished 1-1, bringing Nigeria's warm-up schedule to a close.
Speaking after the match in a video posted on the Super Falcons' X handle, Coach Aduku expressed satisfaction with his team's overall preparation and confirmed that the squad had emerged from the friendly programme without any injury concerns. "Well, so far so good. We are done with our friendly games, and for me, we are good. No injury worries. I guess we are ready. Therefore, we're waiting for the 7th against Spain," he said. Assessing the performance against South Korea, the coach acknowledged that his side had created enough chances to win the game but gave credit to a resilient opponent. "About the game, but for me, game was so good. We lost one or two scoring chances to win the game, but all the same. But I respect the Korean team—they are also a good side," Aduku remarked.
The draw against South Korea means Nigeria conclude their Poland-based friendly programme with one victory and one draw, providing valuable match experience and competitive minutes for the squad ahead of the global tournament. The Falconets had earlier secured a 1-0 victory over hosts Poland last Saturday, with Mamudu also scoring the only goal of that encounter. The two friendly matches were carefully selected to help the team acclimatise to European conditions and fine-tune tactical preparations before the World Cup proper.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR, and New Caledonia. The Falconets will open their campaign against Spain on September 7 at the Arena Sosnowiec in Sosnowiec. They will remain at the same venue for their second group match against China PR on September 10, before concluding the group stage against New Caledonia on September 13 at the Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź in Łódź. Coach Aduku emphasised that the team would approach the tournament one match at a time, beginning with the challenging opener against the Spanish. "Yes, we are ready. That's why we are in Poland, and we are here to take one game at a time. So, we have no other game, but to play against the Spanish team on the 7th. So, we are ready," he said.
The Falconets' preparations for the tournament have been extensive. Their qualification campaign saw them overcome Rwanda 5-0 on aggregate, Senegal 3-1 on aggregate, and Malawi 3-2 on aggregate, demonstrating resilience and attacking quality throughout the African qualification pathway. Nigeria remain the only African nation to have featured at every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, underlining the country's remarkable consistency at the youth level. The Falconets have also come agonizingly close to lifting the trophy, finishing as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, and their latest campaign presents another opportunity for Nigeria to pursue a first-ever world title in the competition.
However, the team's preparations have not been without challenges. Visa issues prevented captain Joy Igbokwe and midfielder Faridat Abdulwahab from securing travel documents, forcing the squad to depart for Poland without two key personnel. The absence of the captain, in particular, represents a significant blow to the team's leadership and experience on the pitch. Despite these setbacks, the Falconets have remained focused on the task ahead, with the coaching staff working to integrate alternative options and maintain squad cohesion.
Mamudu's goals in consecutive friendly matches provide the latest indication of her growing influence in attack ahead of the World Cup. Her ability to find the net against both Poland and South Korea suggests she could be a crucial figure for Nigeria in the group stages and beyond. The draw against South Korea will give the technical crew plenty to analyse as final preparations are completed, particularly regarding defensive organisation and game management in the closing stages of matches.
With the warm-up fixtures now behind them, the Falconets can turn their full attention to the task that lies ahead in Poland. The preparations are complete. The World Cup journey begins on September 7.
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