Super Falcons interim head coach, Justin Madugu has issued a heartfelt apology to Nigerians after his team played out a disappointing 0-0 draw against Algeria in their final group match of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), assuring fans that the team is working hard to improve and will bounce back stronger in the knockout stage.
Nigeria started the tournament with back-to-back wins over Tunisia and Botswana. However, failed to seal a perfect group stage campaign after being held by a determined Algerian side in Casablanca.
The result meant the Falcons finished Group B with 7 points but missed out on a clean sweep.
“We want to apologize to our dear countrymen and women” – Super Falcons
Speaking after the game, a reflective Justin Madugu addressed the disappointment of fans and the weight of expectations that comes with the Super Falcons’ pedigree.
“First of all, we want to apologize to our dear countrymen and women for not winning the game because I know the expectation is that we must always win.”
“We did the best that we could to try and make sure that we won the game, but it didn’t turn out the way they had expected.”
“We apologize for that and we’ll make sure that we work harder to make them happier in the subsequent games that we have to play.”
Nigeria secures qualification to the quarter-finals and will now face Group A runners-up Zambia in a tight knotted knockout clash.
Focus Now on Zambia: “We take every game one at a time”
Looking ahead to the quarter-final against the Copper Queens of Zambia, Madugu explained that the coaching staff already has a tactical strategy in place, backed by scouting and preparation.
“We take every game one at a time. We have a few days off. However, even in planning, we know all the teams that have qualified right from the day the draws were made.”
“We have our strategies. We have watched them severally. We know what they can do.”
“We work on how to neutralize whatever it is that we know is their strength. So we are not too bothered about individual players. We know how good they are.”
“We are getting ready for each game. And we know the players. We know what they can do.”
“We will have an antidote to that on the game day.”
Nigeria’s Super Falcons WAFCON2024 Journey So Far:
-
Matchday 1: Nigeria 3–0 Tunisia
-
Matchday 2: Nigeria 1–0 Botswana
-
Matchday 3: Nigeria 0-0 Algeria
The draw against Algeria did not dent the Falcons’ top position in Group B. They now gear up to face a Zambia side that finished second behind hosts Morocco in Group A.
Quarter-Final Fixture:
-
Nigeria vs Zambia
-
Date: Friday, July 18, 2025
-
Venue: Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca
-
Kick-off: 5:00 PM WAT
