By Wale Mustapha
Algeria women’s national team head coach Farid Benstiti has commended his players for their tactical maturity and resilience in their goalless draw against Nigeria at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Fennecs held nine-time champions Nigeria to a 0–0 stalemate in their final Group B match at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca on Sunday night, securing a vital point to advance to the knockout stage.
Benstiti’s team adopted a compact defensive strategy, absorbing pressure for much of the game. Goalkeeper Chloé N’Gazi was instrumental, producing several key saves to frustrate the Super Falcons.
“We knew it would take a perfect defensive game to hold Nigeria,” Benstiti told CAFonline.
“I’m proud of the girls – they showed heart and tactical maturity.”
Algeria finished second in Group B with five points from three matches and will face hosts Morocco in the quarter-finals on Friday.
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.
