By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria head coach Justin Madugu has declared his team fully prepared for their highly anticipated semi-final clash against reigning champions South Africa at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The blockbuster showdown is set for Tuesday in Casablanca, Morocco, with a coveted spot in the final—and an automatic ticket to the 2025 FIFA Women’s World Cup—on the line.
Nigeria, the tournament’s most decorated team with nine titles, head into the match brimming with confidence after a dominant 5-0 quarter-final thrashing of Zambia’s Copper Queens.
Following a recovery day, the Falcons resumed training on Sunday with full focus on their familiar foes, Banyana Banyana—the very side that edged them out in the 2022 WAFCON final.
Addressing the media at his pre-match press conference, Coach Madugu expressed optimism and confidence in his squad’s readiness.
“Our preparations have been solid. The girls are in great shape, focused, committed, and determined,” said Madugu.
“You must work hard to achieve anything in football, and we are ready to give it everything.”
The encounter rekindles one of Africa’s fiercest rivalries in women’s football. Nigeria will count on the experience of stalwarts like Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie, and Rasheedat Ajibade, while South Africa, under coach Desiree Ellis, will be keen to retain their title.
With both teams in peak form and everything to play for, Tuesday’s semi-final promises to deliver a WAFCON classic.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
