Super Falcons Coach: “We Must Respect Every Team”

Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has said his team must treat every opponent with respect and caution, SportsRation reports.

The Nigerian women’s team will play Tunisia on Sunday, 6 July, in their first match of the 13th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

Speaking before the game, Coach Madugu said there are no “easy” teams in the competition. He explained that all teams worked hard to qualify and deserve to be in the tournament.

“Everyone has their own opinion,” he said. “But for us, we respect every team that made it here. They all went through tough qualifiers and earned their place.”

He added that only a few countries made it to the tournament, showing the level of quality involved. “Not every African country is here. So those that qualified did something right. We must respect that.”

Nigeria, who have won the WAFCON nine times, are in a group with Tunisia, Botswana, and Algeria. Many expect them to finish top, but Coach Madugu warned against being overconfident.

“There are no small teams in African football,” he said. “When you look at the results during the qualifiers, you see that anyone can win. We won’t take any team lightly.”

The coach also said rankings or predictions before the tournament don’t always tell the full story. “Ratings don’t always show what a team can really do. If you focus too much on that, you could be shocked on matchday.”

Madugu confirmed that his players are ready and focused on their plan. He said the team respects all three group opponents equally.

“What matters is what happens on the day of the match,” he said. “We respect Botswana, Algeria, and Tunisia, and we’ll take each game seriously.”

The Super Falcons begin their WAFCON 2024 campaign on Sunday, aiming to win a record 10th title and qualify for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup.