Super Falcons Ready for Zambia Showdown as Madugu’s Side Targets WAFCON Revival

Nigeria’s senior women’s national team wrapped up their final training session under the floodlights on Friday night as they fine-tuned preparations for today’s crucial WAFCON clash against Zambia, scheduled for 9:00 p.m.

The encounter marks the fifth WAFCON meeting between the two African heavyweights, with Nigeria holding a dominant record in the fixture.

The 10-time African champions opened their rivalry with a commanding 6-0 victory at the 2014 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations—the same scoreline Zambia recorded against Egypt in their Group C opener this tournament. Nigeria followed that up with a convincing 4-0 win at the 2018 edition before suffering their only defeat to the Copper Queens, a 1-0 loss in the third-place playoff at WAFCON 2022.

Their most recent meeting came in the quarter-finals of WAFCON 2024, where the Super Falcons produced a dominant 5-0 victory. Across their four previous WAFCON meetings, Nigeria have scored 15 goals while conceding just once against Zambia.

The Falcons head into today’s encounter determined to bounce back after their disappointing 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi. The players have put that setback behind them and are fully focused on reigniting their campaign with a positive result.

There was a confident and upbeat atmosphere in camp, with every member of the squad fully aware of the importance of the contest. Head coach Justin Madugu and his technical crew put the team through an intensive training session, working on three tactical formations while emphasizing confidence, discipline, tactical awareness and team cohesion.

A common message echoed throughout the training ground: “We can do it. We’ve done it before. Let’s get all three points.”

The players remain united and motivated to deliver a strong response when they step onto the pitch.

Victory over Zambia would breathe new life into Nigeria’s WAFCON campaign and significantly boost their chances of progressing in the competition. Having overcome difficult moments in the past, the Super Falcons will be looking to draw on their experience once again as they chase another important win.

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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