“We Know What Is at Stake”: Super Falcons Coach Talks Tough Ahead of WAFCON S/Finals vs South Africa
- Nigeria will take on South Africa in the 12th Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semi-finals in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday, July 22
- Super Falcons interim coach Justine Madugu opens up on what Nigerians should expect from the players when they file out
- Nigeria beat Zambia 5-0, while South Africa defeated Senegal 4-1 via penalties in their respective quarter-final matches
Super Falcons interim coach Justine Madugu has expressed readiness ahead of their semi-final clash against Bayana Bayana.
Nigeria will face South Africa by 5pm in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday, July 22, for a spot in the final of the 12th Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The nine-time champions lost to Zambia in the third-place match at the 11th WAFCON, three years ago.
Source: Getty Images
A lot is at stake - Madugu
Justine Madugu said the Super Falcons will not take the match against Bayana Bayana with levity.
According to AIT, the former Adamawa Queens coach stated that the team intends to prevent what happened years ago, when South Africa prevented the nation from qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
He emphasised that there is a lot at stake in the match, which will make or mar the morale of the team. Madugu said:
"Every game is different; the Olympic qualifiers are different from this tournament. They are South Africans and we are Nigerians.
"We know what is at stake between the two nations. We are not taking the match for granted, and what happened during the Olympic qualifiers, but the girls are focused and ready for the semifinal match."
Source: Getty Images
We do not have a star player - Madugu
Super Falcons interim coach Justine Madugu said the team is not built around any particular player.
In a post on X, the 60-year-old said the players are given instructions according to their respective wingers, and they all fit into the squad.
The gaffer stressed that the team's performance determines how the fans and spectators perceive them. He said:
"For us, we try to build a complete team and not build he team around an individual. In case the star player fails to perform on the gameday, then what happens (the team runs into a problem).
"We try to make it a general team, so that when one player is out, whoever comes in fits in and continues the way the technical crew has strategized or planned to implement."
Falcons are beatable - Ellis
South Africa coach Desire Ellis has boasted that her team has what it takes to defeat Nigeria in the semifinals.
According to Punch, Ellis said her girls do not need any motivation to overcome the Super Falcons in what she terms a derby. She said:
"The match against Super Falcons means a lot to us. My girls have what it takes to beat Nigeria.
"My girls do not need any form of motivation, we know the strength of the Nigerian team and we are going to match them."
We capitalised on Zambia's weaknesses - Madugu
Legit.ng earlier reported that Super Falcons interim coach, Justin Madugu, said the team took advantage of Zambia's weaknesses, specifically set pieces.
Madugu hailed the girls for putting up a commanding performance against a highly rated Copper Queens.
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Source: Legit.ng
