Nigeria’s Super Falcons remain strong favourites to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), even though their preparations for the tournament have not been ideal, a Nigeria Info football analyst says.
Our analyst believes Nigeria still has the experience and winning mindset to defend the title in Morocco, where the tournament will be held.
Ezinne Victoria Oti noted that the Super Falcons are used to facing pressure and difficult situations and have often succeeded despite limited preparation.
According to Ezinne, the team missed key chances to prepare properly, including a cancelled international break and a four-nation invitational tournament that did not take place due to logistical problems.
This meant the coach, Justin Madugu, had less time to work with the players.
However, Nigeria will play two friendly matches against Cameroon, which Ezinne described as helpful, even if not the best option.
She added that a similar situation happened last year, when Nigeria still went on to win the title.
The return of experienced players like Gift Monday in attack and Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene in midfield was also described as a big boost for the team.
Ezinne said the host nation, Morocco, will be eager to win after past final losses, but he believes concerns about officiating bias will be reduced after lessons from recent African tournaments.
She added that the Super Falcons should focus on playing their football and letting their performance speak on the pitch, saying the team has what it takes to win the title for an 11th time.
