Nigeria’s Super Falconets boosted their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali on Sunday.
The two-time World Cup finalists struck in the 70th minute when Janet Akekoromowei powered home a header from a corner, giving the visitors a crucial first-leg advantage.
Both sides cancelled each other out in a cagey first half, with Rwanda focused on maintaining their defensive structure against the more experienced Nigerians. But the Falconets grew stronger after the break and eventually broke the deadlock.
Rwanda pushed forward in search of an equaliser late on, but Nigeria’s defence held firm to secure the victory.
The second leg will be played on Saturday, September 27, at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. The winner will advance to the third round of the African qualifiers, where Senegal or Algeria await.
