Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu says Nigeria still has its fate in its own hands ahead of the team’s crucial second WAFCON 2026 match against Zambia, www.aclsports.com reports.
Nigeria head into the Group C encounter needing a positive result after suffering a 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening game, with another setback likely to leave their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals in serious jeopardy.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Friday, Madugu said the team have put the disappointment behind them and are fully focused on bouncing back against Zambia.
“The mood in the camp is okay. Everybody is looking very bright, and we’ve gotten over the incident that happened in the last game. We’re looking forward to the next game tomorrow,” Madugu said.
The coach also responded to criticism of his tactical decisions and player selections following the defeat, insisting that choices are based on training performances, tactical requirements and the needs of each game.
“The last game was not the first game I have handled. I’ve handled several other matches that we have won and nobody questioned that. We know what we are doing, we are focused and we are looking ahead.
“We have players in the team that are very flexible. Sometimes decisions work out and sometimes they don’t. Because we lost, people will say it was because players were played out of position. I take responsibility for all that and I hope to do better in the next game.”
Madugu added that the technical crew had analysed the defeat to Malawi and remained confident of securing qualification.
“We have done an analysis of what happened in the last game and where we got things wrong. We know exactly how to address what we have seen and we are coming up with a plan to deal with that. We all want to be at the World Cup and we know what it means to Nigerians. We still have our fate in our hands and we will do everything possible to make sure we qualify.”
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie also expressed confidence that the Super Falcons can respond positively to the defeat, insisting the squad remains focused on the task ahead.
“The feeling is very good. Everyone is happy. Everybody’s okay. The past is in the past, so we’re just focusing on the next game. The spirit is very high,” Nnadozie said.
The Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper added that the team has learned from its mistakes and remains confident despite the disappointing start to the tournament.
“This is football. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but that doesn’t make us a bad team and it doesn’t make me a bad player. We’ve all learned from our mistakes and moving forward, we are just focusing on the next game.”
Nigeria face Zambia at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat on Saturday, 1 August, with kick-off scheduled for 9:00pm WAT, knowing that victory would boost their chances of reaching the knockout stages.
