The only goal was scored late into the second half of the match by Falconets’ Flourish Sabastine.
Coach Christopher Danjuma had selected team captain Oluwatosin Demehin and 20 others to wear Nigeria’s colours at the 19-day championship.
The Falconets had to scale through the hurdles posed by Central African Republic, Congo, Cameroon and Senegal, winning seven of eight matches in the qualifying stages, with just a draw
against Cameroon in Douala, to emerge as one of the two African Representatives at competition.
Having secured a victory against France, Nigeria will play Canada and Korea in Group C of the 16-nation tournament, which began August 10.
Africa’s other representatives, Ghana, are in a group of death. They’ll be up against holders Japan later today and would, thereafter, lock horns with the Netherlands and three-time champions, the United States, in Group D.
Congratulations team Nigeria