Nigeria’s Falconets kept their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign alive after playing out a goalless draw with China in their Group F fixture on Thursday.

Neither team managed to break the deadlock in a closely fought encounter, leaving Nigeria with a crucial point ahead of their final group-stage match.

The draw leaves the Falconets third in Group F with one point, while China move to four points in second place. Spain, who have collected six points from their opening two matches, have already secured qualification for the knockout phase.

Nigeria entered the game under pressure following their 2-0 defeat to Spain and knew another loss could have ended their hopes of progressing.

They responded with a disciplined defensive performance, successfully keeping China at bay and recording their first clean sheet of the tournament.

However, the Falconets’ inability to score leaves them in a difficult position heading into the final round of fixtures. They must now beat New Caledonia and hope the result between Spain and China goes in their favour.

A victory over New Caledonia would take Nigeria to four points, potentially putting them level with China and giving them a chance to claim second place depending on the outcome of the other Group F match.

China currently hold the advantage with four points, while Spain’s six-point tally has already guaranteed the European champions a place in the next round.

The Falconets will therefore need to improve significantly in front of goal after failing to score in their first two matches.

Despite the frustrating draw, Nigeria still have a route into the knockout stage. Their immediate priority is securing maximum points against New Caledonia, while keeping an eye on the outcome of China’s meeting with Spain.

With qualification still within reach, the Falconets head into their final group game knowing that a convincing victory could keep their U-20 World Cup journey alive.