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Nigeria’s Falconets began their campaign at the 2026 FIFA U-20 women’s World Cup on a losing note, after falling to a 2-0 defeat to Spain in Monday’s Group F opener, completesports.com reports.
Goals in each half by Marisa Garcia and Alba Cerrato earned Spain a perfect start to the tournament.
Spain started strongly and controlled much of the match and created multiple early chances but were denied by Falconets goalkeeper Ineoma Uzoma.
The Spaniards eventually took the lead on 13 minutes thanks to Garcia, who finished a strong run and cross from Noe Bejarano.
The Falconets grew into the game and posed some threat on transitions and were almost rewarded but Spain goalkeeper Laia López made an important one-on-one save against Folajomi Olabiyi.
Also Read: U-20 WWC: Falconets Ready To Make Big Statement— Aduku
Cerrato then sealed the win on 73rd minute finishing with a left-footed shot which beat the Falconets keeper at her near post.
Spain are in second place behind group leaders China, who had beaten New Caledonia 5-0 earlier on Monday.
The Falconets would hope to bounce back from the defeat to Spain in their second fixture against China on Thursday, September 10.
By James Agberebi
5 Comments
With all the we are ready noise. Shioo.
Well earned victory by the Spanish U-20 women who outplayed the Falconets in every aspect of the game and a 2-0 scoreline against the Falconets almost flattered the Falconets, whose inexperience and poor coaching told through the 90 minutes of play.
I predicted it was going to be a tough day at the Office for the Falconets, opening their account at the 2026 U-20 WWC against a well drilled and very experienced ball juggling Spanish women, the full squad members skilled and having received excellent coaching from world class clubs, like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid and Juventus senior women team, and then drilled by a world class women coach in the mold of David Aznar.
In the end the talent, experience and expert coaching of the Spaniards won the match, and the Falconets were overran and Moses Aduku and his wards had no clue, and but for decent goalkeeping by Uzoma in Falconets goal the score line would have been more telling! But even so, the Falconets had their moments and could have scored 1 or 2 goals themselves, if they played with more confidence, and overcame fear and over-respect of the Spanish women team. At the end a 2-0 score by the Spaniards was well earned.
Let’s see how they perform against the Chinese and the New Caledonian women in the next group matches, as the fear and respect they showed the Spaniards today would be out of the window.
Where is Janet Akekoromowei, the big, physical and strong former Bayelsa Queens striker, now with Benfica feminine in Portugal? I didn’t see her on the starting list nor was she listed in the Substitutes Bench or was she injured or not in the squad?This was the type of match, you needed her to bully the Spaniards defences to submission, but suddenly she was no where to be found.
Nigeria vs Spain (0:2): Retrospective Reflection
It was always going to be an uphill task to either defeat or extract a point from Spectacular Spain and so it proved as Moses Aduku’s young ladies slumped to a 2:0 defeat today.
Playing a distinctive 4-2-3-1 formation in the first half, Nigeria looked somewhat organised out of possession whilst clueless in possession. The 3 offensive midfielders weren’t conversant with the requirements of their positions, as they often ran into a brick wall made in Spain, whilst lost on how to locate the lone centre forward, who was stranded and isolated like a kid mistakenly left home alone as her family flew out on holiday.
The stadium was scantily filled, which robbed the event of a lively, energetic atmosphere.
Nigeria’s fullbacks had a torrid time in the first half. With the formation narrow, neither of the 2 offensive players up front was wide enough to drop back, giving Spain ample real estate to launch crosses into Nigerian 18 yard box like sea-skimming missiles – one of which led to the early goal.
Our goalkeeper, Uzoma, looked competent enough. Though jittery at times, in the whole, she did a serviceable job in catching, punching, diving and intercepting, from often decent starting positions.
As you would expect, Nigeria were physical, and the defenders often came out early to intercept: when this worked, it was good; when it didn’t, we left gaping holes at the back, which Spain exploited emphatically for their second goal.
Coach Aduku could be seen physically animated on the sidelines. I think he should just let the girls play – it’s hard enough for them to focus on their opponents whilst simultaneously trying to take instructions from their pissed-off-looking coach.
In the first half, Nigerian players looked naïve on the ball, lacking basic intellect in trapping the ball, moving and locating each other progressively and purposefully. But that had more to do with the 4-2-3-1 formation, with which they were most uncomfortable, unfamiliar and unattuned.
However, all that would change in the second half.
Realising that his fullbacks were being run ragged, Coach Aduku changed the formation to 4-4-1-1, introducing an out-and-out right winger, Oscar, for the stranded centre forward Olabiyi. On the left, Joseph was now moved further to the flank, where she came alive in this traditional formation.
Finally, it started to resemble more of a near-even contest as Nigeria were giving as much as they were getting from Spain.
Granted, Spain were still individually better technically and collectively better tactically than Nigeria; playing in a formation Nigerian girls were accustomed to meant Spanish defenders now had to work harder to defend their lead. Also, Spanish wingers – who hitherto had the keys to Nigeria’s flanks – now started suffering as Nigerian wingers were now better placed to fall back and support the suffering fullbacks, effectively curtailing Spain’s forays down Nigeria’s flanks with formidable overloads.
Finally, individually brillance from Nigeria was shining through as Oscar and Joseph sank their teeth into Spanish flanks, creating several opportunities that led to decent goalbound efforts for Nigeria.
But it was not to be, as Spain ran away as worthy winners – 2:0.
Hehehehe!
Dont’ worry. We are still recovering from Gusau NFF. It will take a while for things to normalize.
It will take some time to undo Gusau’s hand work.
A well deserved victory for the Spanish team. The difference between both teams na 7up (the difference is clear).
While we have the talents, we don’t have a team. It was difficult for them to string passes together. But Queen Joseph, who played from the left wing, is a very good player. She is very direct and uses her pace very well.
Let’s see how the team performs when the play China on Thursday.