Nigeria Women’s U-20  head coach Christopher Danjuma has insisted that qualifying the team for  next year’s tournament is paramount to him. 

The Falconets who qualified for the final round of the qualifiers defeating  their Tanzanian counterparts by three goals to two aggregate, will now play Burundi in the final rounds of the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup African qualifying series. 

Quoting the words of the Nasarawa Amazons gaffer, he said “Qualifying for the World Cup is paramount, there is no excuse for it. We are targeting qualification, and we are making sure nothing stops us from going to Colombia.”

Danjuma who guided the team to the quarter-final of the U-20 Women’s World Cup last year asserted that the team will come out stronger after the qualifiers, having learned from the experience of the past"

Continuing, Danjuma said “When we played against Tanzania, they  had respect for us and we waste the points without being suppressed as expected then they come out confidently.

“Secondly, we are not making excuses but almost five or six or their players were at the CAF Women’s Champions League playing for JKT Queens which helped them when they returned to the team. They played even till November 8 and played some matches before coming which was continuous thing for them.

“This is coaching and a development side. These are a crop of new players trying to experience this stage. The U-17 stage is appreciable but it is a different ball game in the U-20 and the Super Falcons.

“The awareness and level of competitiveness is different, because they have beginning to get the feel of it and understand that you need openings that are ready for you to go to the 

The Nasarawa Amazons coach has a message for the fans “My message to Nigerians is we really appreciate them from years back coming back to this point they have always supported the U-20 team. We want them to continue to support us in the quest to qualify for the World Cup proper. We will not disappoint them" he concluded. 

The  Falconets will now face Burundi in the final qualifying round for a place at the 2024 FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in Colombia .