Falconets Thrash England 3-0 to Reach U-20 Women’s World Cup Quarter-Finals

 

Nigeria’s Falconets have booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after producing a commanding 3-0 victory over England in the Round of 16.

The Nigerian side delivered a statement performance on Thursday, September 17, defeating England at the Stadion Miejski in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, to continue their quest for a first-ever U-20 Women’s World Cup title.

Rafiu Gives Nigeria Early Lead

The Falconets wasted little time making their presence felt.

Tosin Rafiu opened the scoring in the 8th minute, showing excellent individual skill before driving into the England penalty area and finishing past goalkeeper Katie Cox.

England attempted to respond and created several opportunities, but Nigeria’s defence and goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma stood firm.

Uzoma became particularly important before half-time when England were awarded a penalty following a VAR review. She produced a crucial save to deny Rachel Maltby, pushing the spot-kick onto the crossbar and preserving Nigeria’s 1-0 advantage.

Nigeria went into the break ahead.

Akekoromowei Doubles the Lead

The Falconets came out of the second half with renewed intensity.

Just two minutes after the restart, Janet Akekoromowei doubled Nigeria’s advantage with a powerful left-footed volley to make it 2-0.

England pushed forward in search of a way back into the match, but Nigeria remained dangerous and continued to create opportunities.

Mamudu Seals a Convincing Victory

Nigeria eventually put the game beyond England's reach in the 73rd minute.

Mary Mamudu capitalised on a defensive error after Akekoromowei won the ball and provided the assist, allowing Mamudu to slot home Nigeria’s third goal.

The final whistle confirmed a comprehensive 3-0 victory for the Falconets.

From Early Setback to Quarter-Final Qualification

The victory is particularly notable considering Nigeria's difficult start to the tournament.

The Falconets opened their Group F campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Spain before playing out a goalless draw against China. Their qualification hopes were then revived by a spectacular 10-1 victory over New Caledonia, which sent them through to the knockout stage.

Nigeria have now followed that huge win with another emphatic performance against England.

The Falconets have scored 13 goals across their last two matches, while goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma has also played a major role in their progress.

Quarter-Final Awaits

Nigeria will now advance to the quarter-finals, where they are scheduled to face Colombia on Sunday, September 20, in Łódź. The match is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Nigeria time, according to the Nigeria Football Federation.

The Falconets are two-time runners-up at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and will now look to take another step towards finally lifting the trophy.

For Nigeria, the message from this performance is clear: the Falconets are still fighting.

Final Score: England 0-3 Nigeria

⚽ Tosin Rafiu — 8'
⚽ Janet Akekoromowei — 47'
⚽ Mary Mamudu — 73'