Nigeria’s Super Falcons head into the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) carrying an unwanted defensive record that has left head coach Justin Madugu deeply concerned, Soccernet.ng reports.
Despite reaching the last eight in Morocco, the ten-time African champions have conceded five goals in just three group matches. It is the highest total among all the quarter-finalists. It is also the first time in WAFCON history that Nigeria have allowed five goals during the group stage.
Only Malawi finished with the same defensive record, while the other six quarter-finalists performed much better at the back. Morocco were the only team to finish the group stage without conceding a goal, Algeria let in just one, Cameroon and Ghana conceded two each, while Ivory Coast and South Africa each shipped four.
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Nigeria’s defensive struggles began with a shock 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi. The Falcons recovered well in their second game, beating Zambia 1-0 and keeping an important clean sheet against the Barbara Banda-led Copper Queens.
Another dramatic contest followed as Nigeria defeated Egypt 6-2 to secure a place in the knockout stage. The Super Falcons produced their best attacking display, but Egypt – who had managed just one goal in their previous two matches – still found a way to score twice against them. It was the first time the Cleopatras would net two goals in a game at the WAFCON.
Those results left Nigeria level with Malawi as the joint-leakiest defence among the teams still competing. It is a situation that has raised fresh questions before Sunday’s crucial clash with Cameroon at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat. Victory would send the Super Falcons into the semi-finals and also secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
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Super Falcons: Madugu admits defensive mistakes must be fixed before Cameroon test
Madugu has openly admitted that Nigeria’s recent defensive performances are not good enough and believes his players must quickly eliminate costly mistakes.
“We have been a team that has been very solid defensively, but of recent we are conceding very unnecessary goals, which is something that is a bit worrisome,” Madugu said after Nigeria’s victory over Egypt, as per the Punch.
“And we have to do a lot of work to try and ensure that the girls do not switch off in the course of any game. The manner with which we are conceding those goals calls for serious concern, and it is something that we will have to address.”So we have to work more on ourselves, trying to ensure that we minimise the kind of mistakes that we make that result in us conceding goals.”
Nigeria finished second in Group C after all three leading teams – Malawi, Super Falcons and Zambia – ended on six points. Tie-breakers decided the final standings, with Malawi finishing first after scoring four goals in matches involving the tied teams. Nigeria scored three, while Zambia managed two and were eliminated.
Cameroon now stand between the Super Falcons and another WAFCON semi-final. The Indomitable Lionesses have conceded only two goals throughout the group stage, suggesting that they are a tough nut to crack defensively.
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Madugu knows previous meetings will count for little. Nigeria and Cameroon shared victories in a two-match friendly series before the tournament, with Cameroon winning the first game before the Falcons responded in the second.
“The last time we played against them, we lost against them in the first leg. Then we beat them in the second leg. So it’s not something that we will use the last result to judge and say, no, because we have beaten them in the past.”We know what it means, and we will be ready for it.”
Nigeria’s defensive record may be worrying, but the Super Falcons still have history on their side. They remain the only African nation to have qualified for every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991.
Another victory over Cameroon would keep that remarkable tradition alive and move them one step closer to both another continental title and a place at the 2027 tournament in Brazil.
