Super Falcons regroup for Cameroon double-header

Key Takeaways

• After falling to a 1-0 defeat — their first in eight games against Cameroon — in Yaoundé on Saturday, the Super Falcons returned to training at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo on Sunday, seeking a response in the return leg of their two-legged friendly.
• After falling to a 1-0 defeat — their first in eight games against Cameroon — in Yaoundé on Saturday, the Super Falcons returned to training at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo on Sunday, seeking a response in the return leg of their two-legged friendly.Nigeria were stunned by Mbomezomo Yvana’s stoppage-time strike at the Military Stadium, Yaoundé, but they have another chance on Tuesday to rebuild momentum ahead of their title defence at the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.Head coach Justine Madugu named a blend of experienced and new players for the first leg, but it remains to be seen how he will tweak his setup for Tuesday’s return fixture.Saturday’s defeat was Nigeria’s first loss in 90 minutes to an African opponent since the third-place match against Zambia at the 2022 WAFCON.Nigeria head into WAFCON 2026 as defending champions and will compete in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt and tournament debutants Malawi.Their campaign opens on March 18 in Casablanca, with all four semi-finalists earning automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.Madugu, who named a 25-player squad for the double-header against the Indomitable Lionesses, said the games would help his technical crew assess new options ahead of the continental tournament.“The key objective is to improve team cohesion and assess new players who can provide additional options before the WAFCON,” the coach said at a pre-match press conference on Friday.“What the players do in the game will show their capacity, how they fit into the team and the qualities they bring.
• We will then determine how best to utilise those attributes to the team’s advantage so that we can have more options in our play.”Before Saturday’s defeat, the coach had also downplayed the importance of winning the friendlies.“Naturally, each time we go out to play any game — whether friendly or competitive — the expectation is to win.