Algeria gaffer Farid Benstiti admits Super Falcons’ global status after defeat

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Following a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, Algeria’s head coach, Farid Benstiti, emphasized the youthful nature of his squad.

The Super Falcons, led by Atletico Madrid’s Rasheedat Ajibade, secured victory in their first friendly match in Ikenne, with Ajibade scoring both goals.

Benstiti expressed appreciation for the friendly matches, highlighting their importance in building team cohesion and telepathy, noting, “We have a young team, and the players are working to understand each other better with each game.”

Nigeria continues to stand as Africa’s top-ranked team since the introduction of FIFA women’s rankings, having achieved significant milestones, including reaching the quarter-finals in 1999 and consecutive Round of 16 appearances in 2019 and 2023.

Acknowledging Nigeria’s strength, Benstiti stated, “Nigeria is a strong team globally, and we are not ashamed to lose to them. However, I believe we will have a better game on Tuesday because we have learned valuable lessons today.”

The Desert Foxes and the Super Falcons are set to clash again on Tuesday for the second friendly match.