Ohale says Super Falcons understand stakes of decisive Egypt clash

Osinachi Ohale says Nigeria’s Super Falcons are fully aware of the importance of their crucial WAFCON 2026 Group C match against Egypt and are determined to improve on their previous performance.

The reigning African champions enter the fixture needing another positive result as they continue their bid to reach the knockout stage. Their campaign was revived by a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia in their second group match, but the result came at a cost after Nigeria played most of the game with 10 players.

Asisat Oshoala scored the only goal of that game in the first half, giving the Super Falcons the three points. Their task was made more difficult when Tosin Demehin was sent off, yet Nigeria held on to secure the win.

That victory has kept the Super Falcons in contention, but the Egypt match represents another must-win encounter. Nigeria must also hope the outcome of the other Group C fixture between Zambia and Malawi works in their favour.

Speaking at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference, veteran defender Ohale stressed that the meeting with Egypt carries even greater significance than Nigeria’s opening two games.

“The game against Egypt is even more important than the first and second game we’ve played. We already know what is at stake, we know the importance of the game and we will take it with all seriousness and do better than our last game.”

Ohale’s comments underline the pressure facing the Super Falcons as they attempt to secure their progress from the group. Nigeria began their campaign with a result that left them needing to recover, before responding with the narrow win against Zambia.

The victory over Zambia demonstrated the team’s ability to protect a lead despite being reduced to 10 players. Oshoala’s first-half strike ultimately proved enough, but the Super Falcons now face another demanding test against Egypt with the group situation still requiring both their own result and assistance from elsewhere.

Nigeria have a strong record at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Falcons have never failed to advance beyond the group stage in the history of the WAFCON, a record they will be seeking to maintain in 2026.

With the Egypt fixture described by Ohale as more important than Nigeria’s first and second matches, the defender says the squad understands exactly what is at stake. The Super Falcons will therefore approach the contest with the seriousness required as they aim to do better than in their most recent outing and keep their campaign on course.