Rasheedat Ajibade sees Benin scare in Nigeria march to WAFCON 2026 as wake-up call

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade has described Nigeria’s 1–1 draw with Benin Republic in Abeokuta as a timely wake-up call for the team, despite sealing qualification for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a 3–1 aggregate victory.

The nine-time African champions had secured a comfortable 2–0 win in the first leg in Cotonou and were expected to dominate at home.

However, the Beninese side put up a spirited performance at the MKO Abiola Stadium on Tuesday to force a draw, a result Ajibade said would serve as a valuable lesson ahead of the continental showpiece.

“We expected a tough match because we saw what they were capable of in Cotonou,” Ajibade said.

“Benin had nothing to lose and gave everything. A draw against the Super Falcons means a lot to them, and you could see how they celebrated. For us, it’s a reminder that we must always keep our standards high and continue improving.”

The Atletico Madrid forward, who once again captained the team, expressed gratitude to the technical crew and her teammates for their belief in her leadership.

“Captaining this team of amazing, talented, professional players is an honour I don’t take lightly,” she said.

“I’m thankful to the coaches and everyone for believing in me. It motivates me to keep leading by example.”

Ajibade, who recently received a recognition award at the Nigeria Pitch Awards, also dedicated the honour to her teammates, fans, and young girls aspiring to play football.

“To every young girl with a dream — keep believing, keep working, and never stop chasing your goals,” she said.

With qualification now secured, the Super Falcons will turn their attention to preparations for WAFCON 2026, where they aim to defend their continental title and secure one of Africa’s four slots for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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