By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade and defender Ashleigh Plumptre have been named in the Group Stage Best XI at the ongoing 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Both players played key roles in Nigeria’s strong start to the tournament, showcasing leadership and defensive resilience throughout the group matches.
Ajibade, 25, has featured in every minute of Nigeria’s three group games, impressing with her dynamic runs and ability to link midfield and attack.
Her performance against Botswana earned her the Woman of the Match award in Nigeria’s 1-0 victory.
Plumptre started in Nigeria’s opening two matches against Tunisia and Botswana, earning praise for her composure and solid defensive displays.
The Super Falcons are set to face Zambia’s Copper Queens in the WAFCON quarter-finals on Friday in Casablanca, with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
