AFCON 2025
Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has promised a determined response from his players as Nigeria prepares to face South Africa in a decisive 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup playoff on Thursday.
Nigeria’s automatic qualification hopes were dashed by a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the WAFCON 2026 quarter-final, with Maeva Nyadjou’s 19th-minute strike proving decisive despite the Super Falcons creating several clear chances. The result denied the defending champions a shot at a record-extending 11th continental title and their guaranteed ticket to Brazil.
Speaking to ESPN, Madugu struck a defiant tone ahead of the second-chance clash. “We have a second chance, and we will give it our all,” he said. “We do not want to disappoint and go the same way as the men. We’ll do our best to make sure we go through the playoffs.” He added: “I quite understand the pain everyone is going through. We know what it means for all of us and the country. I apologize and take responsibility for that.”
The coach’s comments echo remarks he made in the immediate aftermath of the Cameroon loss, when he accepted personal accountability for the result while pointing to his side’s failure in front of goal as the decisive factor. He had also stressed at the time that the team gave everything on the pitch despite the disappointment.
The playoff against South Africa’s Banyana Banyana is scheduled for Thursday, August 13, with kick-off at 9pm Nigeria time at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca. South Africa also suffered a quarter-final exit at WAFCON 2026, losing 2-1 to hosts Morocco, and the winner of Thursday’s clash will advance to the intercontinental playoffs for a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Madugu is expected to make changes to his starting lineup for the fixture. Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who was at fault for Cameroon’s winning goal after failing to keep out Nyadjou’s free-kick from 30 yards, is set to be dropped.
Nigeria have never failed to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the inaugural edition in 1991, adding extra weight to Thursday’s meeting with a South African side that has become an increasingly competitive rival in recent years. A positive result would keep that record intact and set up a fresh route toward Brazil 2027.
