China head coach Wang Jun says his side are preparing for a demanding meeting with Nigeria’s Falconets at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
China made an emphatic start to their campaign by beating tournament debutants New Caledonia 5-0 in their opening Group match.
Huang Jiaxin was the standout performer, scoring a hat-trick, while Yafei Xiao and Xinyi Zhou also found the net in a dominant display.
Jun’s team will now face Nigeria in their second Group match at Arena Sosnowiec on Thursday, with the Chinese coach identifying his side’s pace as a key weapon.
“During half-time, we brought on two forward players because, in the first half, we were a little bit in a hurry,” Jun was quoted as saying by FIFA.com.
A strong opening result has given China an early boost, but Jun says his players must remain focused as they turn their attention to the Falconets.
The coach explained that China made changes during the interval against New Caledonia after feeling they had been too hurried in the first half. He was pleased with the way his players responded after the break and followed the approach that had been planned.
“But in the second half, we followed our strategy and worked towards our target of victory. I’m happy for Huang and Chen to express their strengths.
“In the next match, we will face Nigeria, and we will try to use our speed to win the match.”
Huang’s three goals provided the highlight of China’s opening fixture, while Xiao and Zhou completed the scoring. The result gave Jun’s side a convincing platform before their meeting with Nigeria.
The Falconets represent a different challenge in China’s second Group game, and Jun has made clear that his players will seek to impose their pace on the contest.
China’s focus will be on carrying the confidence and attacking threat from their victory over New Caledonia into Thursday’s fixture. Jun believes using their speed effectively can help his side claim another win at Arena Sosnowiec.
Nigeria will be the next test for a China team that began the competition with five goals and a clean sheet. The match will determine how Jun’s side build on that opening performance at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.