Nigeria’s U-20 women’s side, Falconets, took a significant step towards qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Malawi in the first leg of their final round qualifier in Ikenne on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The result leaves Nigeria in a strong position ahead of the return leg in Lilongwe, as they continue their pursuit of yet another appearance at the tournament, where they have featured consistently since its inception in 2002.

Despite the comfortable scoreline, the Falconets were made to work hard for their victory, particularly in a first half where they dominated possession and created numerous chances but were repeatedly denied by Malawi goalkeeper Emily Nkhwazi.

Coach Moses Adukwu saw his side control proceedings from the outset, using width and sustained pressure to pin back the visitors, but the breakthrough proved elusive before the interval as Malawi held firm in a deep defensive setup.

The deadlock was broken just two minutes into the second half when sustained pressure forced an own goal from Maureen Kenneth, who inadvertently turned the ball into her own net under pressure inside the box.

Nigeria doubled their advantage in the 57th minute with a well-worked attacking move, as Faridat Abdulwahab delivered a precise pass to Kindness Ifeanyi, who finished clinically to give the hosts a commanding lead.

From that point, the Falconets managed the game effectively, maintaining defensive discipline to prevent any meaningful response from the Malawians, who struggled to break down Nigeria’s structure.

According to the NFF, the victory also earned a financial reward of N1m for the team, as Remo Stars and Beyond Limits Football Academy president Kunle Soname pledged a bonus following the match, having promised N500,000 naira for each goal scored.

Attention now shifts to the second leg, scheduled for the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, capital city of Malawi next Saturday, where Nigeria will aim to complete the job and secure their place at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.