Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has expressed confidence that his team is well-prepared to reclaim the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title as they gear up to face hosts Morocco in Saturday’s final.
The Nigerian team, nine-time champions of the tournament, arrived in Rabat on Wednesday and held their first training session at the Olympic Stadium on Thursday, after playing their last five matches at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
The Falcons booked their place in the final after edging past defending champions South Africa 1-0 in a tense semi-final encounter, with defender Michelle Alozie scoring the decisive goal late in the game.
Hosts Morocco reached the final by defeating Ghana 4-2 on penalties, following a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
“We thank God for making it to the final. I want to assure you that we are not going to relent or take our eyes off the ball. Our focus is on lifting the trophy in Rabat on Saturday,” Madugu told NFF Media.
He praised his team’s preparation and tactical discipline, particularly in the hard-fought semi-final. “We knew South Africa, as cup holders, would be difficult, but we were ready for them. I am glad that our tactics paid off. As I said before the tournament, we will always assess the opposition first and then determine what tactics would suit us better and serve our purpose. We have done these in our previous five games, and we will do the same in the final.”
The final clash is being hailed as the most-anticipated match of the 13th WAFCON, pitting the continent’s most dominant side against a rising powerhouse in women’s football.
The two teams previously met in the semi-finals of the last edition, where Nigeria, reduced to nine players, lost on penalties.
Heading into the final, Nigeria has scored 11 goals and conceded just once — a penalty converted by South Africa’s Linda Motlhalo.
Striker Chiwendu Ihezuo is among the tournament’s top scorers and will be key to the Falcons’ attack on Saturday.
The match will mark Nigeria’s 10th WAFCON final appearance.
Remarkably, they have never lost a final since the tournament began in 1998 and will be aiming to lift their 10th title to reaffirm their dominance on the continent.