Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu and defender Osinachi Ohale say Nigeria are ready for their crucial WAFCON 2026 clash against Egypt, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake, www.aclsports.com reports.
Speaking at the team’s pre-match press conference, Madugu said the players are in high spirits and fully focused on securing the result needed to progress from the group stage.
“We are good to go. The team is in high spirits, and we’re getting ready for the next game. We all know what is at stake and are doing our best to ensure we get the right result that will take us to the next stage of the competition.”
The Super Falcons coach added that his side have gone through all the possible qualification scenarios but are determined to keep their fate in their own hands.
“We have gone through all the possible permutations that can get us through, and we know exactly which scenarios will qualify us. We want our fate to remain in our own hands and not depend on anybody else.”
Madugu also defended the role of experienced players in the squad amid discussions over team selection.
“There are many ingredients that make a team successful. Football is not only about what happens on the pitch; there are other qualities players bring to the team, including leadership, guidance, team bonding, harmony, and experience. We understand the roles our experienced players play, both on and off the pitch.”
The coach further described competition for places within the squad as a positive challenge.
“Having good players in the team is a good headache. We have to analyse many things, discuss and assess performances in training before deciding who plays.”
Ohale, meanwhile, said the Super Falcons are aware of the importance of the Egypt clash and are focused on making the necessary improvements after their opening two matches.
The defender addressed concerns about communication in Nigeria’s backline following criticism after the opening game, insisting the team has learned from its mistakes.
“We always communicate, we always talk to ourselves. Communication is not left for one person; it’s a team thing. We tried to correct our mistakes from the first game and you could see that in our last game against Zambia. We’ll continue to build from there.”
On criticism from outside the camp, Ohale said the players remain focused on supporting one another and delivering results for the country.
“We are all professionals and we know what is expected of us. We are a family. When one is down, everyone tries to bring that person up.”
Ohale added that her passion for representing Nigeria remains as strong as ever as she targets another WAFCON triumph with the Super Falcons.
“It’s still the same passion and the same love for the game. We keep pushing and make sure we take the sixth one for myself and the 11th one for the country.”
Nigeria and Zambia are level on three points in Group B, behind leaders Malawi on six, with Egypt yet to register a point. The Super Falcons face Egypt at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat at 9pm, while Malawi take on Zambia, with the group’s two quarter-final places still to be decided.
