Nigeria’s Falconets began their 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign on a losing note after falling 2-0 to former champions Spain in their Group F opener in Poland on Monday.

Spain, who won the competition in 2022, controlled much of the encounter at the Arena Sosnowiec and took the lead in the 13th minute through Marisa García.

The goal came after Noemí Bejarano worked her way down the flank before sending a low ball into the box, with García finishing to put Spain ahead.

Nigeria struggled to create clear chances in the first half and had to wait until the 37th minute for their first attempt, with Kafayat Mafisere shooting wide from distance.

The Falconets returned from the break with greater attacking intent, with Precious Oscar and Victory Lucky introduced as Nigeria sought an equaliser.

However, Spain remained dangerous, and goalkeeper Laia López kept out Nigeria’s attempts as the European side maintained its advantage.

Spain eventually doubled their lead in the 73rd minute when Alba Cerrato capitalised on a poor clearance before beating Christiana Uzoma to make it 2-0.

The defeat leaves Nigeria without a point after the opening round of Group F matches, with China PR moving to the top after a 5-0 victory over New Caledonia earlier on Monday.

The Falconets will face China on Thursday, knowing a positive result will be important to their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

Nigeria remain capable of progressing despite the setback, with the top two teams in each of the six groups and the four best third-placed sides advancing to the round of 16.

The Falconets are among the most experienced teams in the competition, having finished runners-up in 2010 and 2014 and reached the knockout stage in eight of their previous nine appearances before this year’s tournament.

The 2026 tournament is being staged in Poland from September 5 to 27, with 24 teams competing across six groups.

Source: punchng.com

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Manchester City new boy Iliman Ndiaye has revealed that he could not turn down the opportunity to join the Premier League giants, saying the chance to play Champions League football was a major factor in his decision.

The 26-year-old completed a £60 million move from Everton to City on transfer deadline day after Tottenham had initially appeared set to sign him.

Spurs had agreed a deal with Everton, but the transfer collapsed after they were unable to sell Richarlison. City then stepped in with a late approach, and Ndiaye said he was delighted when the opportunity arrived.

As reported by BBC Sport on Monday, the Senegalese was quoted as saying, “There was no stress or panicking.

“I always say whatever comes, comes. God decides your future, it is already written.

“I was just being patient and when City came through I was buzzing. It was always going to be City.

“I wanted Champions League and playing at one of the best teams in the world. I am not saying Tottenham is not, but when Manchester City comes through you don’t say no.”

Ndiaye was handed an immediate starting role by City and helped his new side secure a 1-0 Premier League victory over Coventry at the weekend.

The forward admitted that leaving Everton was difficult after developing a strong relationship with the club’s supporters and players during his two seasons there.

“It was difficult to leave Everton. I created a great connection with the fans and the players there, but we have to move on sometimes and it’s how football is,” he said.

Ndiaye joined Everton from Marseille for £15 million in 2024 and scored 17 goals during his time at the club, becoming a popular figure among the supporters despite Everton finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League in both seasons.

The Senegal international’s career has taken him on an unusual journey. He began in non-league football with Boreham Wood before moving to Hyde United, just seven miles from City’s Etihad Stadium, seven years ago.

He later played for Sheffield United in the Championship and spent a season at Marseille before earning his move to Everton.

Now, Ndiaye believes his switch to City represents the biggest step of his career.

“I don’t really look back. I just look to the future and work hard. I never stop,” he said.

“I just look at the next step and this is a big step to join Manchester City.

“It is one of the biggest clubs in the world. There are world-class players, world-class stadium and the fans are brilliant.

“This is where I think I belong. I have worked hard to get to this point.”

Source: punchng.com

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Former Super Eagles player and 1996 Atlanta Olympic gold medallist, Daniel Amokachi, has commended the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, for fulfilling a 30-year-old promise made to members of the Nigerian football team that won gold at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Amokachi said the governor’s gesture of allocating plots of land to him and fellow Atlanta ’96 gold medallists, Garba Lawal and Emmanuel Babayaro, as well as naming streets after some of the members of the victorious squad, had restored their confidence in government.

The ex-SuperEagles player spoke on Tuesday while inspecting the ongoing reconstruction of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna alongside other football veterans.

Recalling the promises made to the Dream Team after their historic triumph in Atlanta, Amokachi said successive governments had failed to redeem most of the pledges made to the players.

He said, “When we won the Olympics gold medal in 1996, the Federal Government and state governments made several promises to us, but 30 years down the line, most of those promises were never fulfilled.

“But Governor Uba Sani has fulfilled his own promise. He has given myself, Garba Lawal and Emmanuel Babayaro plots of land. He has also directed that streets should be named after some of those who have not been immortalised.

“We lack the words to thank him for this kind gesture and for his promise to ensure that veteran footballers and coaches are rewarded during their lifetimes.”

Amokachi, who is also a football manager, said the governor’s decision to honour sports veterans while they were still alive was commendable.

Also speaking, Lawal, a former Super Eagles player and ex-General Manager of Kaduna United Football Club, described the ongoing reconstruction of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium as a major development that would restore Kaduna to its position as one of Nigeria’s football hubs.

Lawal said the facility, when completed, would meet international standards and provide a suitable venue for the national team to train and play.

“Now, the Super Eagles will not have to go to Uyo to train. This one is right here at my doorstep. It’s a wonderful project and, by the grace of God, we shall come and unveil it by November,” he said.

Babayaro, another member of the Atlanta Olympic-winning team, said Sani had succeeded in bringing together members of Kaduna’s football family and reviving the state’s passion for the sport.

“Governor Uba Sani has assembled the entire football family of Kaduna State and football is thriving again like we used to know it,” the former goalkeeper said.

Responding, Sani thanked the football veterans, coaches and administrators for their contributions to the development of sports and football in Kaduna State.

The governor said Kaduna remained one of Nigeria’s leading football-producing states, noting that several players from the state had made their marks internationally.

“Kaduna is the leading footballing state in Nigeria. We have produced more stars that have gone out of the country and made their marks globally,” he said.

Sani said his administration was determined to restore Kaduna’s lost glory in sports, particularly football, through investment in sporting infrastructure.

“The last time that any CAF football tournament was played in this stadium was in 2016, when the Super Eagles played against Egypt,” he recalled.

He said the poor state of the stadium compelled him to approach President Bola Tinubu to request that the facility be handed over to the state government for reconstruction.

“I made it very clear to him that I will demolish the stadium, which had 16,000 seating capacity and was built in 1964,” Sani said.

According to him, the newly reconstructed stadium will have a seating capacity of 33,000, making it bigger than the 31,000-capacity Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

He added that the stadium would have a hybrid pitch combining natural grass and synthetic turf.

“When completed, Ahmadu Bello Stadium will be the only stadium in Nigeria with a FIFA-standard pitch,” the governor said.

Sani argued that Nigeria needed more CAF- and FIFA-standard stadia, noting that the country currently had only one CAF-standard football stadium and none that met FIFA standards.

The governor said the state government was investing heavily in sports infrastructure because of the economic opportunities created by sporting events.

“In the last World Cup that was hosted in the United States, the country made about $20bn to $24bn in terms of hotel accommodation, transportation and hospitality generally,” he said.

Sani added that Morocco generated about $1.4bn from hosting the CAF Africa Cup of Nations tournament, stressing that Kaduna was positioning itself to benefit economically from major sporting events.

Source: punchng.com

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