By Elizabeth Godwin
Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has expressed his delight after Nigeria’s dramatic 2-1 victory over South Africa secured a spot in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final.
Madugu, who stepped into the role following the departure of Randy Waldrum, praised his players for overcoming a difficult opponent to move one step closer to their ultimate goal – winning a record-extending 10th WAFCON title, dubbed “Mission X” within the squad.
“Yes, it was a tough game, no doubts about that. Everyone knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” the 61-year-old said after the match. “At the end of it all, what we desired was to win, and eventually that happened, so we’re happy we’ll be playing the finals.”
Rasheedat Ajibade opened the scoring with a first-half penalty, while Michelle Alozie sealed the win in stoppage time with a stunning long-range strike. South Africa had equalised earlier in the second half through Linda Motlhalo’s penalty.
Madugu said the team came to Morocco with a clear objective. “We are happy we’re on course for Mission X. We came here with the ambition to win the trophy, and we’re happy we’re getting it right.”
The Super Falcons will face host nation Morocco in the final on Saturday, July 26, at the Stade Olympique de Rabat. Kick-off is set for 21:00 WAT. Nigeria have won four of their five matches so far, keeping four clean sheets on their way to the final.
