Senegal coach hails Falconets strength in W’Cup qualifier defeat News

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Senegal coach hails Falconets strength in W’Cup qualifier defeat

By Daily Sports Nigeria on February 17, 2026

Senegal’s U-20 women’s head coach Mbayang Thiam has admitted her side were outclassed by a mature Nigeria’s Falconets after their 3-1 aggregate defeat in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Nigeria sealed progression with a 2-1 away victory in Senegal on Saturday, ensuring a comfortable aggregate win over the two legs.

The result maintains the Falconets’ perfect record of qualifying for every edition of the tournament since its inception in 2002.

Speaking after the tie, Thiam acknowledged that her players had anticipated a stern challenge against a side renowned for its pedigree in youth and senior competitions.

“It’s true, it wasn’t easy. We even expected that,” she said at the post-match press conference.

“The Nigerian team isn’t a weak team. They’re a team used to competitions, both at the youth and senior levels.”

Thiam suggested that Nigeria’s experience proved decisive, particularly in key moments across both matches.

She pointed to her team’s vulnerability from dead-ball situations as a critical factor, revealing that Senegal conceded three goals from corners and free kicks over the two legs.

“We conceded three goals from set pieces,” she explained.

“You could say there’s a problem with those. We worked on that a lot after returning from Nigeria. After the first goal, the girls were a bit down. That’s sometimes understandable, but we’ll correct it and keep working.”

While praising her players’ physical effort, Thiam conceded that composure and maturity ultimately separated the teams.

“Physically, the girls really gave it their all. But the Nigerian team is more mature,” she said.

Despite the disappointment, the Senegal coach believes the experience will serve as a stepping stone for her young squad.

“The girls cried because they knew it was within their grasp. It was possible. But the Nigerian team is perhaps more prepared than we are. That’s sport. You have to take steps to gain experience and maturity. We’ll turn these regrets into something else so the girls don’t cry at the end of a match.”

Nigeria will now face Malawi in the next round, with the winner of the two-legged tie securing a place at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

Source Punch Ng

Posted February 17, 2026