Nigeria Falconets defeat England 3-0 to reach U-20 World Cup quarter-finals

Nigeria’s Falconets advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland after a 3-0 victory over England in the Round of 16. The match, held at Stadion Miejski in Bielsko-Biała, saw Tosin Rafiu open the scoring in the eighth minute.

Nigeria maintained their lead through a crucial first-half penalty save by captain and goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, who denied England’s Rachel Maltby. In the second half, Janet Akekoromowei doubled the advantage in the 47th minute, and Mary Mamudu secured the win with a goal in the 73rd minute.

Akekoromowei was named Player of the Match for her influential performance. With this win, Nigeria remains the sole African representative in the tournament. The Falconets will face either Poland or Colombia in the quarter-finals, scheduled for September 20.