By Sunday Ameh
Super Falcons goalkeeper and vice-captain Chiamaka Nnadozie has expressed confidence that Nigeria will recover from its disappointing start to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), saying the team has learned valuable lessons from its opening defeat to Malawi.
Nigeria, the defending champions, suffered a shock 3-2 loss to Malawi in their Group C opener on Tuesday, putting the Falcons under pressure to secure a positive result against Zambia in Saturday’s crucial fixture.
Speaking during the team’s pre-match press conference, Nnadozie said the players had carefully reviewed their performance against Malawi and were fully focused on getting their campaign back on track.
“We’ve learned from our mistakes. Now it’s about making things right,” she said.
“We know what is expected of us, and every player in camp understands the magnitude of this game. We have analysed where things went wrong against Malawi, worked hard on the training pitch, and our focus is entirely on taking all three points against Zambia.”
The goalkeeper acknowledged Zambia’s quality but insisted the Super Falcons remain confident of delivering a strong performance.
“Zambia is a strong side with quality players, but we are Nigeria. We respect them, but we are not afraid of any team. The mood in camp remains positive, and everyone is ready to go out there and execute the game plan,” she added.
The Super Falcons will face Zambia in Rabat at 9 p.m. on Saturday, aiming to secure their first points of the tournament and revive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
The 2026 WAFCON also serves as the African qualification tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with the four semi-finalists earning automatic qualification.
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