Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, will be without striker Janet Akekoromowei for their crucial return leg against Senegal’s Lionesses this weekend, following an injury sustained in the first qualifier.
The Bayelsa Queens forward was hurt during the opening match of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier in Abeokuta, which Nigeria won 1-0. Her replacement, Kindness Ifeanyi, scored the match’s only goal in the 51st minute. However, the 18-year-old Akekoromowei has not recovered in time for the reverse fixture, scheduled for Dakar on Saturday.
A draw in Senegal will be sufficient for the Falconets to advance to the next qualifying round. There, they will await the winner of the tie between Guinea-Bissau and Malawi.
The injury adds a challenge to Coach Moses Aduku’s squad as they aim to continue their remarkable record of qualifying for every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The team’s experience and depth will be tested in the away match, where they must secure at least a point to keep their World Cup hopes on track. The outcome of this tie will determine their path in the ongoing African qualifiers.
