An early strike from Alejandra Lomelí was enough for Mexico to secure a 1-0 victory over Nigeria’s Falconets in their final warm-up match in Bogota, Colombia, ahead of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Falconets, who arrived in Colombia last week, have been rigorously preparing for the global tournament.
As part of their build-up, the Nigeria Football Federation arranged two crucial international friendlies to fine-tune the team’s readiness for the competition.
The first match saw the Falconets claim a 2-1 victory over Australia, but they could not replicate that success against Mexico.
The match against Mexico was a closely contested affair, with both sides evenly matched for most of the game.
However, Mexico made their early dominance count in the 15th minute when CSYD Atlas De Guadalajara forward Alejandra Lomelí capitalised on a well-crafted move.
Lomelí expertly connected with a cross from the left wing, sending a first-time shot past the Nigerian goalkeeper to give her side the lead.
#U20Women | Gooooooal 🤩
Alejandra Lomelí opened the score for our Team ⚽#SomosMásDe11 pic.twitter.com/bwLmPZbfGD
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) August 26, 2024
Despite Nigeria’s best efforts to claw back into the match, they were unable to find an equaliser.
The Falconets created several opportunities but failed to convert any, leaving them to regroup ahead of their opening match in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, which kicks off this weekend.
Nigeria are drawn into Group D, where they will face tough opponents, including Germany, Venezuela, and Korea Republic.
The Falconets’ campaign begins against Korea Republic on Monday, 2nd September, followed by a clash with Germany on 4th September, and concluding with a match against Venezuela on 7th September.