The Falconets of Nigeria have suffered an injury setback ahead of their decisive clash with Senegal in the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, with Janet Akekoromowei ruled out of the second leg in Dakar.

The Bayelsa Queens forward picked up the injury during the first leg in Abeokuta, where Nigeria secured a narrow 1-0 win over the Lionesses of Senegal.

Akekoromowei was forced off in that encounter, and her replacement, Kindness Ifeanyi, went on to score the match-winning goal with a 51st-minute header.

Medical assessments have confirmed that the 18-year-old will not recover in time for Saturday’s return fixture in Senegal’s capital, dealing a blow to head coach Moses Aduku’s attacking options.

Despite the absence, the Falconets remain in a strong position, knowing that a draw in Dakar will be enough to seal qualification for the next round of the competition.

The overall winner of the tie will go on to face either Guinea-Bissau or Malawi in the final qualifying round, after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in their own first-leg meeting.

The Nigerian team is scheduled to travel to Dakar on Tuesday, departing from Abeokuta to Lagos before boarding their flight to Senegal. Confidence remains high within the squad, buoyed by their impressive record of qualifying for every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.