Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has called for continued improvement from his team despite their convincing 3-1 victory over Ghana’s Black Queens in a friendly match played in Casablanca on Sunday evening.
Goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo, Asisat Oshoala, and captain Rasheedat Ajibade sealed the win for Nigeria in a closed-door encounter at the Ziaida Palace Benslimane field, further extending Madugu’s unbeaten run against African opposition since taking charge.
But the coach insists the result does not mean the job is done.
“The match gave us the opportunity of having the full squad together to really assess our strength as a team, and build on team cohesion, coordination and on various combinations,” Madugu said after the game.
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“It will always be work in progress, but we are very focused on our realisable and achievable target of Mission X. The girls are ready and are showing real hunger for victory and team spirit is high. We are looking forward to our first match on Sunday against Tunisia.”
The win over Ghana serves as Nigeria’s final tune-up before the start of the 13th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which kicks off this Saturday. The Super Falcons will begin their campaign against Tunisia on Sunday, and Madugu believes the team will be better prepared by then.
“We will continue to work on our weak areas, and I believe that by the time of our first match, we will be ready,” he said.
Sunday’s win adds to an impressive record for Madugu since taking over the women’s national team. He oversaw Nigeria’s qualification for Paris 2024, steering the Falcons past Ethiopia and Cameroon, and also led the team to an emphatic two-legged win over Cape Verde to book a place at this year’s WAFCON.
Last year, Madugu’s team defeated Algeria twice in friendlies in Ikenne and Lagos, and put up a strong fight in a narrow loss to France in November. This year, they beat Cameroon 2-0 away from home and battled Portugal to a goalless draw in Lisbon last week.
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