Nigeria’s Super Falcons will go all out for victory against Egypt on Wednesday as they seek to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Head coach Justine Madugu said the defending champions were determined to control their own fate rather than depend on the outcome of the other Group C fixture. Nigeria face Egypt at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, with victory guaranteeing their progression to the knockout stage.
Madugu, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, said the team had considered all the possible qualification scenarios but remained focused on securing the result needed to advance.
“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,” he said.
“So, we are going straight for what we know will put us through and that we are aware of.”
The Super Falcons began their title defence with a 3-2 defeat to Malawi before recovering with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia despite playing most of the match with 10 players.
With Malawi currently leading Group C and Nigeria and Zambia both on three points, the Super Falcons know that victory over Egypt will secure their place in the last eight.
A draw would only be sufficient if Zambia fail to defeat Malawi, while a loss would see Nigeria eliminated from the competition.
Madugu, however, insisted that the team would not approach the match with the intention of settling for a draw.
“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 said.
The Super Falcons, who are defending the continental title, will therefore be looking to produce another determined performance against Egypt and avoid leaving their qualification hopes to chance.
