Nigeria’s Falconets sharpened their preparations for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over Poland in a pre-tournament friendly played at the Municipal Stadium in Brzeg on Friday.

The lone goal of the encounter came courtesy of Mary Mamud, who found the net right at the death of the first half to hand Moses Aduku’s side a slender but crucial advantage heading into the break.

Both sides pushed for further goals after the restart, carving out several clear-cut opportunities, but neither could find a way past the other’s defence, leaving the scoreline unchanged at full time.

The result offers a timely confidence boost for the Falconets as they continue fine-tuning their squad ahead of the global showpiece.

Attention now turns to their next test, a friendly against Korea Republic, scheduled to hold at the Remes Resort & Spa Football Stadium on Tuesday, September 1, with kickoff set for 4pm local time.

That fixture will serve as one of the final opportunities for Aduku to assess his players before the real business begins. Nigeria have been drawn in Group F of the U-20 Women’s World Cup alongside Spain, China, and first-time participants New Caledonia, a group that promises stiff competition from the very first whistle.

The Falconets will kick off their campaign against Spain on Monday, September 7, in what is expected to be a tightly contested opener.

With the tournament fast approaching, results like Friday’s win over Poland will be crucial in building momentum and match sharpness for the tests that lie ahead.