Nigeria’s Super Falcons open their defence of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title against debutants Malawi on Tuesday night at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat. Consequently, all eyes will be on captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who has made it clear that anything short of maximum points will not do. As a result, the West Africans arrive in Morocco carrying the weight of history, chasing a record-extending 11th continental crown.
Ahead of the tournament opener, Ajibade addressed reporters in Rabat and struck a tone of quiet confidence. According to a Daily Post report on the Super Falcons captain she declared that the squad’s morale is high heading into the group stage and that the players are fully locked in on the task ahead. She added simply, “so we’re 100 per cent ready.”
Meanwhile, in comments carried by the reigning Most Valuable Player of the last edition was even more direct about what would count as success on Tuesday. In her words, “a good performance means taking all three points.”
Her message leaves little room for ambiguity about Nigeria’s intentions against a Malawian side making its first-ever WAFCON appearance.
Head coach Justin Madugu echoed his captain’s sentiments at the pre-match press conference.The coach explained that every tournament his side enters is approached with the ultimate goal being to win. However, he was careful to note that Nigeria will take the competition one match at a time rather than looking too far ahead.
Nigeria head into the tie in fine form, having won eight of their last nine matches across all competitions, and they rounded off preparations with a narrow win over Tanzania in a warm-up fixture.
Ajibade opened the scoring in that game before Esther Okoronkwo struck late to seal victory. By contrast, Malawi arrive on the back of five defeats in six outings, including a heavy loss to Ghana in their final tune-up, and the Scorchers have struggled badly for goals in the build-up to the tournament.
Madugu has named a 25-woman squad blending experience with fresh legs, with the likes of Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Esther Okoronkwo and Michelle Alozie all included alongside Ajibade. Nigeria are, however, expected to be without defender Ashleigh Plumptre through injury, though the squad otherwise remains strong in depth.
Tactically, the Super Falcons are expected to line up in a variation of the 4-2-3-1 system that won them the title in 2024, built around quick transitions and aggressive pressing, with Ajibade and Oshoala combining fluidly between the lines.
Malawi first-time WAFCON head coach Lovemore Fazili faces an entirely different challenge, guiding his side through unfamiliar territory on the continent’s biggest stage. Consequently, the Football Association of Malawi has bolstered his technical bench, though question marks remain over the Scorchers’ defensive solidity heading into the contest.
Nigeria, Tuesday’s match is about more than three points. It marks the opening step of a campaign aimed at a record 11th WAFCON title and, further down the line, a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. As a result, Ajibade’s leadership and Oshoala’s continued threat in the final third will be central to how convincingly the Super Falcons open their account. Following this, attention will also turn to how Madugu manages his squad depth, given that Zambia, viewed as Nigeria’s toughest group opponent, await on August 1.
Nigeria will look to build on a positive result against Malawi when they face Zambia next, a fixture widely regarded as the true test of their group stage campaign. Egypt follows after that, rounding out a Group C schedule that will determine whether the Super Falcons progress with maximum points intact. Should Nigeria secure the win on Tuesday as expected, it would extend their remarkable WAFCON record and set the tone for what Ajibade and her teammates hope will be a tenth successful title defence.
