Super Falcons Coach Sends Message to Cameroon Ahead of WAFCON 2026 Quarter-Final
- Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu spoke after Nigeria secured a quarter-final spot at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations
- Nigeria will face arch-rivals Cameroon in the last eight after both sides make it out of their respective groups
- Madugu revealed what the Nigeria-Cameroon fixture means beyond football, citing bragging rights and national pride
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Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has broken his silence on Nigeria's upcoming quarter-final meeting with Cameroon at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, describing the fixture as one his side will not take lightly.
Nigeria sealed their place in the last eight after a 6-2 victory over Egypt in their final Group C match, though they finished second in the group behind surprise package Malawi, who made their WAFCON debut at this year's tournament.
Source: Getty Images
The Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon advanced as Group D winners, claiming top spot on head-to-head advantage over Mali and Ghana before their final group game, as noted by Elegbete TV.
Madugu on facing familiar foe
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Madugu acknowledged that Nigeria and Cameroon have crossed paths often enough to know each other well, and said his technical team would study recent footage of the Indomitable Lionesses before the knockout tie.
“We know them; we would also go back to look at their games, do our analysis and come up with players that we believe can get us the result that we desire,” he said.
The coach was quick to highlight the broader significance of the matchup beyond the competition itself, pointing to what a victory would mean for supporters back home.
“We all know what the next games stand for, especially looking at those opponents; these are rivals that we know ourselves, and we know what it means to our people in Nigeria, so it's not a game that we're going to take for granted by any means, and we know they will not take it for granted too,” Madugu added.
History Between the two sides
The Nigeria coach also drew on recent encounters between the two West African neighbours to underline the competitive nature of the rivalry.
He recalled a previous series in which the Super Falcons lost the first leg before recovering to win the second, suggesting the tie rarely goes smoothly for either side.
“We beat them the last time we played against them; we lost against them in the first leg and then beat them in the second leg... We know what it means, and we would be ready for it,” he concluded.
Ajibade speaks after reaching quarter-final
Legit.ng previously reported that Super Falcons captain reacted after leading the team to the quarter-final of the 2026 Women's AFCON.
Rasheedat Ajibade described it as a team effort and praised his teammates, coaching crew and everyone who contributed to the success.
Source: Legit.ng
