Nigeria’s Under-20 female national team, The Falconets, will start their seventh Fifa Under-20 World Cup campaign today against Mexico at the Moncton Stadium in Canada.

The Falconets were in dire straits when Fifa suspended Nigeria from all football activities and were in danger of missing the tournament but after the impasse, the Falconets flew out to Canada where they have been in camp ahead of the big kickoff.

Coached by the experienced Peter Dedevdo, the Falconets will look to improve on the fourth place finish at the last tournament held in Japan in 2012.

Halimatu Ayinde and Chinwendu Ihezou will lead the line for Nigeria, ably supported by the impressive Asisat Oshoala. Ayinde and Ihezou represented Nigeria at the last Fifa Under-17 female World Cup in Azerbaijan where they scored 10 goals between them and they will look forward to adding to those numbers in this tournament.

Coach Dedevdo has also picked up US-based Courtney Dike who he hopes will add more experience and guile to the squad.

Dike, who is the younger sister to Super Eagles striker Bright Dike, is a sophomore at the Oklahoma State College in the United States of America.

If the Falconets want to beat the fourth place finish of the last edition in Japan in 2012, they will have to navigate past a strong South Korea side, who are well drilled, European heavyweights England and Mexico, who will provide the first real test for the girls in the first group game.

Nigeria topped Group B of the last edition in Japan with 7 points from 3 matches, beating both South Korea and Italy and drawing with the Brazilians

The Falconets defeated a resilient Mexican side 1-0 in the quarter-final before losing 2-0 to eventual winners the United States in one of the semifinals of the competition. A 2-1 reverse against hosts Japan saw the Falconets finish fourth in the competition.