By Peter Akinbo
Nigeria’s U-20 Women’s team have advanced to the third round of the African qualifying series for 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup set to take place in Colombia.
According to a statement by the Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday, the Mauritius Football Association notified the Confederation of African Football of the withdrawal of the country’s U-20 Women National team from the clash against the Falconets.
“Kindly note that CAF was informed of the withdrawal of Mauritius FA from the African qualifiers of FIFA U-20 WWC 2024. Consequently, Nigeria is qualified to the next round of the competition and the missions of all officials of matches 37 & 38 are cancelled,” read a communication from CAF to the NFF.
The first leg was initially scheduled to hold next week in Saint Pierre, with the return leg scheduled for the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja October 14.
Mauritius qualified for the second round of the qualifiers with a walkover of their own against Chad.
Two teams will represent Africa at the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia. At the 2022 edition in Costa Rica, the Falconets reached the quarter-finals before a 2-0 defeat to The Netherlands saw them exit the tournament.
The Falconets were U-20 World Cup finalists in 2010 and 2014, losing to Germany on both occasions.