Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has expressed his satisfaction with Nigeria’s 3-0 victory over Tunisia in their opening match at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), while emphasising the importance of team spirit and continuous improvement.
The Super Falcons secured all three points with goals from Asisat Oshoala in the opening minutes of the game, Rinsola Babajide just before halftime, and Chinwendu Ihezuo late in the second half, a result that sent Nigeria to the top of their group.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Madugu said the team’s ultimate aim was to get the win, which made the result even more satisfying: “It always feels good each time you set out to go out for a game. The ultimate goal for you is to win. And the fact that the team won, obviously, it is only natural that we are happy that the team won.”
Despite taking a convincing 2-0 lead into half time, Madugu made three changes at the break replacing Asisat Oshoala, Deborah Abiodun, and Rinsola Babajide with Esther Okoronkwo, Christy Ucheibe, and Chinwendu Ihezuo.
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Madugu explained the motive behind these substitutions, stressing that every player in the squad holds equal value and that fostering unity within the team is a top priority: “Well, every player that is here is equally of great importance. For us, they all are players and we try as much as possible to promote team harmony and make everybody feel relevant in the team and nobody feels more important than the other.”
“The game is a team sport. You all need each other. And so we try as much as possible to ensure that we do the right thing by being fair, transparent in all that we do. Like I said, everybody has an equal chance of being in the team. So whoever does well continues, whoever does not do well, obviously, because we want to do better, we have the privilege of making those changes so that we get the team going,” he added.
Reflecting on his position, Madugu described leading the Super Falcons as a tremendous honour and a major responsibility: “It’s a privilege that I have been given by my country to lead the team as the head coach which I am most grateful for. It’s a Herculean task having to shoulder the responsibility of managing a team as great as the Super Falcons.”
He acknowledged the team’s status as a dominant force both on the continent and globally, and expressed his commitment to building on their strong legacy: “They are one of the best teams in Africa. Even globally they have high standards. But we thank God we’re doing our best to try and ensure that we sustain and even do better than what the team has done in the past, so it’s still work in progress.”
Despite the convincing scoreline, Madugu remained grounded, stating that the team is fully aware of the need for improvement: “Now, with regard to the game, we are not flattered by the score line. We know what we set out to do. We have watched the game. We have noticed areas that we also know that we need to improve. So it’s still work in progress.”
He concluded by reminding that the journey has only just begun, and the focus is on improving with each match: “It’s the first match. You don’t expect your team to be at their best playing from the first game. The expectation is that you hope to get better in every game up to the finals.”
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