By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria winger Rinsola Babajide expressed her joy after making her first start for Nigeria in a 2–0 victory over Cameroon on Monday at the MKO Abiola Stadium, with her family in attendance.
The friendly match, part of preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), saw Nigeria defeat the Indomitable Lionesses thanks to a brace from team captain Rasheedat Ajibade.
The Atlético Madrid forward opened the scoring in the 28th minute via a penalty before doubling the lead in the 43rd minute, following a well-executed team move assisted by Babajide.
After the match, Babajide took to social media to reflect on the moment: “What an overwhelming feeling making my first start in front of my dad. Priceless moments like this last a lifetime.
“Grateful to God! Enjoyed playing out there with the team tonight! What a win and great performance from everyone today! Thank you Abeokuta for all the love,” she wrote on X.
Rinsola Babajide and father
Babajide, who switched international allegiance from England to Nigeria, is now hoping to play a key role as the Super Falcons pursue a record-extending 10th WAFCON title.
The competition, first held in 1998, has seen Nigeria dominate with nine titles to date.
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.
