Three-time CAF Goalkeeper of the Year, Chiamaka Nnadozie, has insisted that the Super Falcons are not weighed down by their status as African champions as they prepare for their pre-Women’s Africa Cup of Nations friendly matches against Cameroon in Yaoundé.
The 10-time champions face the Indomitable Lionesses on Saturday (today) and 3 March, with the double-header serving as part of Nigeria’s build-up to WAFCON 2026 in Morocco.
Speaking ahead of the first game, Nnadozie said the mood in camp has been upbeat since the squad reunited.
‘It feels very good. It’s always amazing to be with the girls again. We’re focused, and that’s all’, she said.
Nigeria head into the fixtures with confidence, having beaten Cameroon in their last four meetings, including an Olympic qualifier victory in Yaounde two years ago.
Nnadozie warned against complacency, noting that the Lionesses would be fired up on home soil.
‘The last time we played against them, we won. I remember two years ago, we were here during the Olympic qualifiers, and we also won. So we’ve beaten them four games in a row. But being a friendly and on their home soil, they will want to come out very hard and prove a point. We just have to stay focused’, she said.
On preparation, the shot-stopper revealed that training has been deliberate and competitive ahead of the fixtures.
‘The team has been training really well. The coaches have been doing everything they can to put the girls in shape. Tomorrow we’ll go out there, give our best, learn from the game, and stay positive’, Nnadozie noted.
Despite Nigeria’s standing as Africa’s most decorated women’s side, she was emphatic that expectation does not translate to pressure within the squad.
‘Honestly, we are not under any pressure at all. We’ve worked so hard over the years to be where we are today. There are so many teams working hard to be in this position, and respect to all of them. But there’s no pressure’, she said.
The goalkeeper stressed that the team remains focused on long-term growth rather than short-term rankings.
‘We just keep going one game at a time, one training session at a time. Even if we’re not the first team in Africa tomorrow, we don’t care about that. The only thing we’re trying to do is learn as a team and grow as a team. There’s something we want to build in this team. It might take one year, two, three. But it’s one step at a time’.
Closing with a message to Nigerians, Nnadozie called for continued prayers and support ahead of the Cameroon tests.
‘Naija, you know how we do it now. We just need your support and your prayers. You’ve been doing amazingly well supporting us. It’s the love you’ve been giving us from day one that has kept us this far. So keep supporting and praying for us, and we’ll always find a way to make you happy’, she added.
