Falconets coach explains why Nigeria lost to Spain in FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

Nigeria's U-20 women's head coach, Moses Aduku, has admitted the Falconets fell below their standards in their opening FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup match against Spain but remains confident the team can recover and reach the knockout stage.

The Falconets began their Group F campaign in Poland with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Spain, leaving the seven-time African champions under pressure ahead of their remaining group matches.

Despite the setback, Aduku insists the opening loss does not define Nigeria's tournament.

Speaking after the match, the Falconets coach did not hide his disappointment with his players' display.

Reflecting on the performance, Aduku admitted Nigeria failed to produce the level of football expected against a strong Spanish side.

“We did not come to the party today; we did not play,” Aduku told FIFA.com.

Spain controlled much of the game at the Stadion Sosnowiec, with Marisa García opening the scoring early before Alba Cerrato sealed the victory in the second half.

Despite the frustrating result, the coach remains optimistic about the Falconets' chances of advancing beyond the group stage.

Aduku believes the defeat should serve as a wake-up call rather than a setback that defines the team's World Cup campaign.

“I am confident. We did not play today,” he added.

The defeat leaves Nigeria with little room for error in Group F, where every point has become vital. The Falconets will now turn their attention to a clash against China PR on September 10.

They will then conclude the group stage against New Caledonia on September 13.

Nigeria enters the tournament with an impressive record in the competition, having qualified for every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup since its inception in 2002.

The Falconets have twice reached the final, finishing as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, and Aduku will be hoping his players can draw inspiration from that proud history as they seek to keep Nigeria's World Cup dream alive.