Following the Super Falcons’ emphatic 6-2 victory over the Cleopatras of Egypt in their final group-stage match at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Completesports.com’s ADEBOYE AMOSU rates the performances of the players.
Chiamaka Nnadozie 5/10
The goalkeeper enjoyed a relatively quiet outing but was unable to keep a clean sheet, conceding twice to the Egyptians.
Shukurat Oladipo 7/10
The right-back delivered an improved performance after being handed her second start of the tournament.
Osinachi Ohale 7/10
The centre-back made several forward forays to support the attack, and was unfortunate not to cap her performance with a goal.
Christy Ucheibe 7/10
Ucheibe slotted seamlessly into the centre-back role, and crowned her impressive display by calmly converting Nigeria’s fourth goal from the penalty spot.
Michelle Alozie 7/10
Another impressive display from the full-back, who won the penalty that led to Nigeria’s fifth goal.
Deborah Abiodun 6/10
The midfielder delivered a tidy performance but was largely peripheral and offered little going forward.
Toni Payne 7/10
An energetic, and influential outing from the midfielder, who produced one of her finest performances for the Super Falcons.
Folashade Ijamilusi 5/10
Ijamilusi had a quiet outing, failing to influence the game before making way for Uchenna Kanu in the 56th minute.
Rasheedat Ajibade 7/10
The captain struggled to find her rhythm in the opening half but produced a much-improved display after the interval, scoring once and registering an assist.
Rinsola Babajide 8/10
The AS Roma forward marked her tournament debut in style, setting up two goals and deservedly claiming the Player of the Match award.
Asisat Oshoala 6/10
The experienced striker put in a solid shift before being forced off through injury. She opened scoring for Nigeria with a confidently converted penalty.
Substitutes
Gift Monday 6/10
Monday delivered an energetic display and capped her performance by scoring Nigeria’s second goal of the game.
Uchenna Kanu 6/10
Introduced in place of Folashade Ijamilusi in the 56th minute, she made an immediate impact by scoring a goal and winning a penalty.
Joy Omewa 4/10
Omewa marked her WAFCON debut with a goal, underlining her immense potential and emerging as one to watch for the future.
13 Comments
Pls can someone explain exactly which criteria was use in seperating the team. Because they all had 6points. In terms of goal difference Nigeria had +4. Malawi +2 and Zambia+6. So Zambia was supposed to top , then Nigeria 2nd ,while crashed out. But now the reverse is the case. I need explanation. Thanks @all
They used Head to Head between the three teams. Egypt was ruled out as all three team beat Egypt. So this is the equation
Malawi 3- Nigeria 2
Zambia 0- Nigeria 1
Zambia 2- Malawi 1
So if you look at these three matches, here is the equation
Malawi +4 conceded 4= 0
Nigeria +3 conceded 3=0
Zambia +2 conceded 2=0
So Zambia scored least as the 6 goals against counted for nothing. That’s the criteria used.
They said CAF’s rule Article 71 was applied since all 3 teams were tied on 6 points. Only goals scored for and goals against each other among the 3 teams were calculated, while all goals scored against Egypt were discarded.
Malawi scored 3 goals against Nigeria and 1 against Zambia = +4.
Nigeria scored 2 against Malawi and 1 against Zambia = +3.
Zambia scored 2 against Malawi and 0 against Nigeria = +2
It’s a weird rule cos goals against in the 3-team loop were not used. But even if that was used, it would mean:
Malawi GF 4, GA 4 = GD 0
Nigeria GF 3, GA 3 = GD 0
Zambia GF 2, GA 2 = GD 0.
Probably this was what was used cos while all 3 teams were tied in 0 goals difference, Zambia scored fewer goals. If they had maintained their initial 2- 0 lead against Malawi, they would have finished with GD +1 and won the group, with Malawi 2nd and Nigeria out.
SF simply qualified by the skin of their teeth.
@Kel, if zambia had maintained their 2 goal lead, zambia woul have topped with +1 GD, whil Malawi crash out with minus 1 GD. If Zambia had won 3 goals to 2 or any other high scoring one-goal margin, they Nigeria would have been eliminated.
@Kel you still dey hit the nail on the head rightly and if Zambia has won by 3-2 CAF for hear am because Zambia and Nigeria would have tied and it will go down to fair play. CAF must abolish old method of doing things because i feel for Zambia that would have represented Africa better at World Cup. Malawi go collect wotowoto of or World Cup and those their men strikers will be red carded due to inexperience and racism because nothing is new under the sun. Na Chima be this i started using my company name to have fun on the page and do away with old bad blood.
Oh, Chima, so you’re @Digital? Nice to see you back.
But where’s Omo9ja also? Been a long time since I’ve seen him here, too.
I wouldn’t reveal my identity if I were you…It was toxic,really bad when Digital was Chima E Samuel
@Kel Omo9ja don get heartbreak after World Cup Qualifiers. Your comment along with Deo, Greenturf and Pompei with some guys kept me excited except for Monkey wey wan destroy Osimhen career with so much hatred. Yes Osimhen love money which he must calm down a bit, and I hope the Big teams finally give him a look in but make him calm down with that monster wage even Gala self dey get BP now.
@Greenturf Abeg it’s all for the love of the Game. Football is something else that most of us suffer when our team fail. My prayer is some people will learn to face football and love it even when we disagree. Don’t want to be using my full name to be fighting endless war. One has to be careful life is only one. But una really love the country for staying put after some of us when offline due to heartbreak of Nigeria football.
This coach preference for ineffective Ijamilusi over other better player is still a mystery to me, she was not good in the last WAFCON and you continue to force her on the team, local coaches and their sentimental way of doing things over merit is really sickening.
Super Falcons Edge Egypt in Erratic Manner To Clinch Quarter Final Ticket (6:2): Retrospective Reflection
It’s fair to say that the Super Falcons were underwhelming in patches during spells in this match, but the most important thing is that Madugu’s Ladies got the job done emphatically – the end, they say, justifies Madugu’s means.
Madugu can win the World Cup today, and his detractors will remain unsold, unconvinced, unimpressed – that’s how their cookies crumble. However, the victory yesterday and the nature of it had Madugu’s signature written all over it; hence the Adamawa state native deserves his onions, littered all over Suya meat and spice for good measure.
As a direct result of his tutelage, the Super Falcons at least have a chance to qualify for the World Cup via the inter-continental playoffs in case the unthinkable happens should we lose the quarter-final to arch-rivals Cameroon over the weekend.
Madugu detractors talked about “reliance on last-minute convoluted permutations” to qualify for the quarter-finals. For me, I blame CAF for that: their convoluted head-to-head qualification formula confused and complicated things. Had qualification from a group been based on simple “points accumulated” and “goals difference”, Nigeria would still have qualified, alongside Zambia – CAF just have to complicate things, which actually, on this occasion, hurt Zambia, who are on the way home despite scoring more goals than Malawi and actually defeating Malawi!
_The Match_
The Super Falcons started rather slowly, I must confess. Playing only 1 defensive midfielder in Abiodun in Madugu’s signature 4-3-3 formation almost proved costly in just the 1st minute as an Egyptian cutback from our left was met by a striker whose shot was smothered by Nnadozie – playing 1 defensive midfielder by Madugu wasn’t punished here but would be punished for Egypt’s second goal later on.
That said, Madugu’s shining light in this match was his in-game substitutions: Kanu, Omewa and Monday all had positive impacts, and all left a lasting impression. Also, starting Babajide proved to be a masterstroke, and starting Payne proved a treat as both players would leave positive imprints on the match with the former bagging the Player-of-the-Match award – deservedly so, Babajide’s best outing in Super Falcons colours for me as her grace, poise, and eloquence on grass shone through.
_1 to 30 Minutes_
The Super Falcons did not create many clear-cut scoring chances in the stanza. That said, Alozie overlapped and shot at the Egyptian keeper before Oshoala’s shot was hand-blocked in the 18-yard box for a penalty infraction that she converted in style for 1:0 in 18 minutes by sending the goalkeeper on a fishing expedition.
The Super Falcons seemed to toil and labour with minimal success.
Abiodun was breaking up play well; Ajibade and Oshoala were combining well; Ajibade’s effort was shot wide; Oshoala stole the ball, accelerated but lost the ball; Alozie and Payne interchanged passes effortlessly; and Babajide was poised, polished and progressive with her passes.
One bright spot in this stanza was that Babajide was growing into the match with neat passes, dangerous runs and pristine positioning.
_30 to 60 Minutes_
The Super Falcons tried to execute intricate and penetrative passing routines to mixed effect. However, Babajide’s masterclass and true colours were now shining through, brighter, as she continued taking the game by the scruff of its neck with effective take-ons that took out 3 Egyptian players in one fell swoop on one occasion and by shooting at goal from range, which the Egypt keeper parried. She would have her assist by cutting back, after taking out her marker with silky leg movement, to Substitute Monday for a delicate tap-in 2:0 in 45 minutes.
Egypt pulled 1 back shortly afterwards from the penalty spot after Alozie was adjudged to have fouled – 2:1. Payne had shot wide earlier from a good spot before Ajibade’s shot was saved. Ijamilusi did deliver a few decent cutbacks, but her overall contributions were forgettable and negligible. Payne was positive with her runs and take-ons, but Egypt stayed resolute.
Kanu would come in for Ijamilusi (whose grasp on future starting 11 spots is loosening fast) before making an immediate impact with a close-range, empty-net tap-in for 3:1 in 56 minutes after good work from Abiodun, Monday and Ajibade in the build-up.
_60 to 90 Minutes plus time-added_
Ajibade huffed and puffed up front with movements and passes that were curtailed. Alozie was busy in defence, blocking and clearing the ball. Ajibade would overcook a free-kick whilst Abiodun would balloon a shot to the heavens. Ucheibe would make it 4:1 from the penalty spot before Egypt’s Ghazi, taking advantage of Nigeria’s ineffective 1 defensive-midfielder infrastructure, received a cutback to crash our net: 4:2.
Ajibade extended the lead from another penalty that sent the goalkeeper fishing for crabs and lobsters: 5:2 in 91 minutes. Afterwards, Omewa added spice to the Jollof rice in 99 minutes to make it 6:2 with a tight finish that effectively sent Nigeria to the next round.
Oladipo was focused and joined the attack; Ohale was generally faultless; and Oshoala covered a lot of ground and provided an attacking outlet, whilst Nnadozie looked assured in her distribution and composed in her catches, though she was beaten hands down by the quality of Egypt’s second goal.
Stats-wise, Nigeria had 59% possession, took 25 shots, had 9 shots on target, created 6 big chances, achieved 76% pass accuracy (264/347), produced 36 touches in opposition 18 yard box, delivered 62% passes in the final third (90/145), and delivered 21 crosses with 8 accurate ones (38% accuracy) with an overwhelmingly positive score line that adequately prepares the team for knockout stage penalty kicks in how proficient the team took 3 penalties in this match.
These aren’t bad numbers – and show how prepared we are for knockout round penalties (something that should be reassuring) – but I doubt the stats will do enough to assuage the concerns of Madugu’s detractors – those who would never see anything good in what he is doing.
He did well in the match, and the stats backed it up; the scores spiced it up; the subs spruced it up!
I have just a question for you?
What do you think of Super Falcons in Women’s World Cup, Brazil 2027 with Madugu as coach?
Chima E Samuel! Kai! Bros na yuh be dis?? Nna long time oo and welcome, sorry I really thought you were dat useless Tarara climber joker or whatever he was first called, I won’t reveal who I am but we were all there at that time and it’s good to hear from you bro.
Thank you for your accurate analysis