WAFCON: ‘We Know What To Do’, Madugu Targets Quarter-Final Spot Against Egypt
Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu says his side is fully focused on securing victory against Egypt in their final Group C match of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and taking control of their qualification hopes.
Nigeria face the North Africans on Wednesday at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, seeking a win that will guarantee their place in the quarter-finals.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Madugu said the team had carefully analysed all possible qualification scenarios and was determined not to depend on results elsewhere.
“We have done all the various permutations of what can get us through, and we know exactly which of the permutations can take us through. We want to have our fate in our hands and not leave it for anybody to decide for us. So, we are going straight for what we know will put us through and that we are aware of,” he said.
The Super Falcons have endured a mixed start to their title defence. The ten-time African champions suffered a surprise 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening game before bouncing back with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia despite playing much of the contest with 10 players.
With Malawi topping the group on six points, while Nigeria and Zambia have three points each, the defending champions need a win over Egypt’s Cleopatras to ensure progression to the knockout stage.
Madugu stressed that his players are approaching the encounter with a winning mentality.
“No team prepares to lose a game. All we are going out for is to win the game and get a result that will qualify us to the next stage of the competition,” he added.
Veteran defender Osinachi Ohale also underscored the importance of the clash, describing it as the team’s biggest test so far in the tournament.
“Tomorrow is another day, and I think it is even more important than the first and second games we played. We already know what is at stake, we know the importance of the game, and we are going to take it with all seriousness and even do much better than we did in our last game,” Ohale said during the briefing.
Egypt head into the encounter desperate for points after losing their opening two matches, while Nigeria know that victory will keep their quest for an 11th continental title on track.
The kick-off time for Nigeria’s game against the Egyptians is 9 p.m. (West African Time/Nigeria time).