Falconets head coach Moses Aduku has warned that Nigeria’s emphatic 10-1 victory over New Caledonia does not mean his team is a finished product, insisting there is still plenty of work to be done ahead of their knockout-stage clash.
Nigeria produced an outstanding attacking display against tournament debutants New Caledonia in their final Group F fixture in Lodz on Sunday, recording their biggest win of the competition so far.
The commanding result secured the Falconets’ passage into the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Despite the convincing victory, Nigeria ended the group stage in second position in Group F after collecting four points from their three matches.
Aduku was pleased with the result but admitted that his players still made mistakes that must be corrected before the next stage of the tournament.
According to the coach, the knockout phase represents the real beginning of Nigeria’s World Cup campaign, with the team now needing to improve on the weaknesses exposed during the group-stage victory.
“We are grateful to God for the 10 goals and for qualifying for the next round, but for us, the World Cup is just starting,” Aduku said after the win over New Caledonia.
The coach also urged his players not to dwell on the massive scoreline, stressing that the result is already in the past and attention must immediately turn to their next opponent.
“We thank God, but this win against New Caledonia is done and dusted. We are looking forward to the next game,” he added.
Aduku acknowledged that Nigeria’s performance was not flawless despite the 10 goals, pointing to lapses that could prove costly against stronger opposition in the knockout rounds.
“We had some lapses despite the win, but we will go back and take care of them,” he said.
The Falconets will now face England in the Round of 16 on Thursday, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
Nigeria will therefore need to carry the confidence from their emphatic victory into the knockout stage while also addressing the defensive and tactical shortcomings identified by their coach.
The meeting with England is expected to provide a much tougher test for Aduku’s side, who will be aiming to build on their attacking performance against New Caledonia and secure another important victory at the U-20 Women’s World Cup.
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