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Nigeria’s Falconets kept their hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup alive after playing out a goalless draw against China PR in their second Group B fixture on Thursday.
The Falconets went into the encounter looking to recover from their 2-0 defeat to Spain in their opening match and produced a disciplined display against a China side that had started the tournament strongly.
Nigeria showed good organisation and determination during the opening 45 minutes, restricting China from creating clear-cut opportunities while also attempting to threaten at the other end.
However, neither side could find the breakthrough before the interval.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams competing closely for control of the encounter.
Nigeria’s defensive discipline remained important as China continued to search for an opening, while the Falconets also pushed forward in their attempt to secure a crucial victory.
Despite the efforts from both teams, the deadlock could not be broken as the final whistle confirmed a 0-0 draw at the Arena Sosnowiec.
The result gives Nigeria a valuable point but leaves them needing a victory in their final group-stage match to give themselves a strong chance of progressing to the knockout stage.
The Falconets will face New Caledonia on Sunday, September 13, in their final Group B fixture.
New Caledonia suffered an 11-0 defeat to Spain in their second match, leaving Nigeria with an opportunity to finish the group stage strongly.
