By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, have settled into Kigali with confidence and determination as they gear up for Sunday’s crucial 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup second-round, first-leg clash against Rwanda’s U20 girls.
The tie is scheduled for the Kigali-Pele Stadium formerly the Stade Regional Nyamirambo with kickoff fixed for 3pm local time (2pm in Nigeria).
On Friday morning, the squad had a recovery session in their hotel gym, where the players displayed energy, zeal and hunger for success under the close watch of the technical crew.
The spirited mood in camp reflects the Falconets’ readiness to begin their qualification journey on a high note.
For the contest, the Confederation of African Football has assembled an all-female officiating team from Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Aminata Fullah of Sierra Leone will serve as the referee, assisted by Liberian Hannah Lydia Moses and Fatmata Mansaray of Sierra Leone, while Love Tuu Wehyee from Liberia will act as fourth official.
Seychelles’ Militna Ivanete Amrie is the match commissioner, and Togo’s Amegee Aissata Ameyo will be the referee assessor.
The Falconets, two time World Cup finalists, are determined to assert their pedigree and edge closer to securing a ticket for the global showpiece.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
