Nigeria’s bid for an unprecedented 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title begins on Tuesday (today) when the Super Falcons face tournament debutants Malawi at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat, with head coach Justin Madugu insisting his side will settle for nothing less than victory.
The reigning African champions arrive in Morocco carrying the weight of expectation as the continent’s most decorated women’s national team, determined to successfully defend the title they won in dramatic fashion against hosts Morocco at the last edition.
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For Madugu, the objective is clear from the opening whistle.
“Usually when you prepare for a competition, and you go for any tournament, your ultimate goal is to win. You approach every game as it comes and try as much as possible to make sure that you win all your games. For every match that we go into, the ultimate goal is to ensure that we win,” the Super Falcons coach declared during his pre-match press conference.
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His comments underline the mentality within the Nigerian camp as the nine-time… now 10-time champions seek to extend their dominance of African women’s football.
Falcons arrive in Morocco full of confidence
Nigeria head into the tournament in impressive form after winning eight of their last nine matches across all competitions.
Their preparations ended on a positive note with a 2-1 victory over Tanzania in a friendly encounter, where captain Rasheedat Ajibade opened the scoring before Esther Okoronkwo struck the decisive winner late in the second half.
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The victory capped a productive build-up for the Super Falcons, who have looked increasingly cohesive under Madugu and will be confident of making a strong start against the tournament newcomers.
Momentum will be crucial in what promises to be a demanding Group C campaign, with Zambia and Egypt also waiting later in the competition.
History favours Nigeria
Nigeria remain the undisputed queens of African women’s football.
The Super Falcons have won a record 10 WAFCON titles and return to Morocco as defending champions after producing one of the greatest comebacks in the competition’s history at the previous edition.
Trailing hosts Morocco by two goals in the final, Nigeria mounted a stunning second-half fightback to claim a dramatic 3-2 victory and lift yet another continental crown.
That triumph further cemented their status as Africa’s dominant force, and victory over Malawi would be another step towards an unprecedented 11th title.
Malawi chasing another upset
While Nigeria boast a rich history at the tournament, Malawi are preparing for a landmark occasion.
The Scorchers are making their first appearance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and will be eager to make their mark on the continental stage.
Their recent form, however, presents a worrying picture. Malawi travel to Morocco having lost five of their last six matches, including a heavy 4-0 defeat to Ghana in their final warm-up game before the tournament.
Doris Boaduwaa starred for Ghana by scoring a brilliant hat-trick, scoring in the 8th, 37th, and 47th minute, while Sharon Esinam Sampson added Ghana’s fourth goal in the 74th minute to seal the 4-0 victory.
Goals have also been difficult to come by, with the Scorchers failing to score in four of their last six outings.
Yet dismissing Malawi would be dangerous, as the East Africans held highly-rated Zambia to a draw and comfortably dispatched Angola during the qualification campaign to secure their historic place at the finals.
Those performances highlighted the resilience and fighting spirit that earned them a ticket to Morocco.
Battle of the stars
Nigeria will be without experienced defender Ashleigh Plumptre, who misses the tournament through injury. Nevertheless, Madugu still has an abundance of quality at his disposal.
Captain Rasheedat Ajibade is expected to inspire from the front, while Esther Okoronkwo arrives in excellent form after her winning goal against Tanzania, alongside 6-time women’s African footballer of the year Asisat Oshoala, and Brighton Women goalkeeper and the Falcons’ safe hands, Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The experienced core of the squad will also be expected to provide leadership as Nigeria begin another title defence.
For Malawi, much of the attacking responsibility will rest on the shoulders of sisters Tabitha Chawinga and Temwa Chawinga.
The sibling duo possess the pace, creativity and finishing ability to trouble any defence and will represent the Scorchers’ biggest attacking threat against the defending champions.
Containing the Chawinga sisters could prove central to Nigeria’s hopes of opening their campaign with maximum points.
Falcons remain focused despite off-field distractions
Nigeria’s preparations have not been entirely smooth, as forward Esther Okoronkwo recently revealed that $700 was stolen from her wallet while the team was staying at the Marriott Hotel in Casablanca, with several teammates also reportedly affected by the incident.
The situation took an uglier turn after Okoronkwo spoke publicly about the theft, as her Instagram account became the target of racist abuse, with several users posting monkey emojis and other offensive comments.
The Nigeria Football Federation swiftly condemned the attacks, insisting racism has no place in football or society, while Okoronkwo’s club, AFC Toronto, also expressed solidarity with the Super Falcons forward.
Refusing to allow the incident to distract the team, Okoronkwo responded with a message of unity and resilience.
“Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. We move forward with pride, unity and determination. See you on the pitch,” she wrote on Instagram.
The message has reflected the mood within the Nigerian camp, where the focus has remained firmly on defending their continental crown.
Strong start the priority
With Zambia and Egypt still to come in Group C, securing all three points against Malawi would provide the ideal platform for Nigeria’s title defence.
Anything less than victory would increase the pressure ahead of tougher fixtures against two sides with ambitions of reaching the knockout rounds.
For the Super Falcons, Tuesday’s clash is more than just an opening fixture; it is the first step in another quest for continental glory.
Backed by an experienced squad, buoyed by excellent recent form and driven by the desire to extend their remarkable legacy, Nigeria will be determined to send an early statement to the rest of Africa that the road to the WAFCON title still runs through the Super Falcons, and nowhere else!
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