A 3-0 whiplashing of Africa’s 6th-best side, Tunisia, by the Super Falcons of Nigeria has raised the hopes of many Nigerians that we can win a 10th title, as the Nigeria Female Senior National Team began on a high at the ongoing 2024 Women Africa Cup of Nations.
But the big question is: Can Nigeria be champions for the 10th time? Hopes are high that indeed, Mission X is seemingly a possibility.
Mission X, the tagline for Nigeria’s Falcons as they aim to win a 10th continental title, now trends on social media after Sunday night’s victory over the Les Aigles de Carthage of Tunisia in Morocco, the host nation.
An exciting game for viewers at home saw Asisat Oshoala open the scoring early in the match, and the nine-time African champions quickly established their supremacy.
Just before halftime, Nigeria’s lead was doubled by competition debutant Rinsola Babajide, who scored in the 44th minute to give the Falcons a firm lead at the half.
For the second 45 minutes, Tunisia demonstrated greater tenacity and held the Nigerians at bay for extended periods of time.
But, Chinwendu Ihezuo’s third goal for Nigeria in the 83rd minute finally broke their resistance.
That result has seen many Nigerians celebrate on social media, many boasting of Nigeria’s dominance on the continental stage.
Some are cheering the side as unstoppable at the tournament, urging the girls to go win the competition after they easily defeated a team that was touted to be the most difficult team for the Super Falcons in the group.
While many may celebrate, here comes the stark reality: poor preparations. While the Super Falcons may have begun strongly, there are a lot of grey areas in the preparation of the ladies.
Heading forward, Nigeria’s Super Falcons may in later stages face more than just tough competition in shaping things up in glory.
The senior women’s national team will have to battle the consequences of a rushed, lackluster preparation plan that threatens to undermine their chances. Here, we take a look at what could be stumbling blocks for the nine-time African champions.
*Poor game Preparations for the Super Falcons
Many fingers will point towards the Nigerian Football Federation for the lack of preparations for this tournament. There seemed to be neglect for the girls.
The Super Falcons, prior to pre-tournament preparations, had not convened for any game, whether a friendly or tune-up game, since 30th November 2024, where Nigeria lost 2-1 to France Women.
A game where Nigeria fell in the 29th minute as Katoto found Eugenie Le Sommer, who converted from close range to give France the lead. Le Sommer then set up Amel Majri in the 37th minute as France doubled their lead. Despite being behind by two goals, the Super Falcons persisted in trying to tie the score and in additional time of the first half, Nigeria’s Ifeoma Onumonu scored with an assist from Monday Gift.
Since that game, the NFF left the team to fade into silence. No training camps. No buildup games.
Two international windows came and went and it was all cricket-chirping sounds in the camp of the Super Falcons.
Other Countries seized such opportunities to get their side together to foster squad harmony and cohesion, but for Nigeria, nothing was done.
Nothing, until June 2025, barely a month before the tournament kickoff. That’s right. After November 2024, the Super Falcons didn’t convene, train, or test themselves—no camps, no matches, no strategy refinement—for seven crucial months leading into WAFCON.
It was not until June that they ventured onto the pitch again after a few days of camping, facing Cameroon once and Portugal twice, with the second Portugal meeting tucked away behind closed doors.
The game against Cameroon was faced with so much controversy, with many allegations and counter-allegations.
A game that ought to have been played over two legs, as earlier communicated by the NFF, had one leg cancelled.
The Punch Newspapers reported that the late arrival of the Indomitable Lionesses forced one game to be cancelled as they had less than 48 hours of rest. Officially, no reason was given by the NFF.
It was later rumoured that the Cameroonian women’s team arrived in Nigeria after travelling by road to Abeokuta. This was eventually debunked by sources in Cameroon, but one is left to ask why the Lionesses of Cameroon arrived so late.
With one game cancelled and the second game played at the Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Nigeria secured an expected victory.
Rasheedat Ajibade won a penalty kick and converted it in the 28th minute of play. Ajibade was then again clinical as she received an exquisite pass from Omorinsola Babajide.
Against World Number 22, Portugal, it ended in a goalless draw. The NFF later announced that another match would be played the next day behind closed doors to give those who did not get minutes against Portugal a chance to feature.
The Falcons later faced arch-rivals Ghana. Goals from Asisat Oshoala, Chiwendu Ihezuo, and captain Rasheedat Ajibade ensured the side won 3-1. Alice Kusi was able to score a consolation goal for the Ghanaians with two minutes to the end of the game.
And that was all in terms of preparation for the Super Falcons. Four matches—three available to fans and one behind closed doors. Such a flimsy foundation draws concern.
How can a team expected to lift the trophy operate effectively with little cohesion, conditioning, or consistent match sharpness?
Nigeria’s preparation window resembles building a skyscraper in the final weeks, with materials arriving late, workers squeezed, and quality likely compromised.
Meanwhile, other top contenders like current holders South Africa, finalists Morocco, and even Zambia have been grinding away at training camps, friendlies during international breaks, and tactical drills, all while the Falcons were dormant for over six months.
The international women’s window earlier this year offered a precious opportunity to assemble, test combinations, and press flesh, but Nigeria missed that boat entirely. That window wasn’t a luxury; it was essential. Instead, the Falcons missed out on valuable fixture seasoning and tactical calibration.
Hopefully, this does not come to haunt the Falcons.
“Who heads the Falcons at the WAFCON?
And what of leadership? The NFF has yet to officially and publicly appoint a substantive head coach. As at when the story was published, at last check, Justin Madugu remains in interim charge per last announcement by the NFF, though he is officially still assistant manager after Randy Waldrum’s contract expired in September 2024.
Unless he has been officially handed the reins of the team, then Nigerians are in the dark because there was no official announcement to this effect.
A team without a clearly defined role means no clearly mandated tactical vision, uncertain authority, and a lack of long-term strategy.
A team led by a “maybe-coach” is a team playing with one foot on the sidelines. It’s akin to farming a large field without naming a head farmer. Who takes responsibility? Who keeps the seedlings watered? Who ensures a good harvest?
As the proverb has it: “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” Here, with coaching limbo and planning neglect, the players and, most importantly, Nigerians bear the brunt.
*The Omission of Monday Gift from the Super Falcons Roster for the WAFCON
Then there’s the omission of Gift Monday, a striker whose club numbers speak volumes—an impactful early performer in the NWSL with four goals in eight starts for the Washington Spirit, yet nowhere in the Falcons’ squad for WAFCON.
Her exclusion raised eyebrows, forcing the forward to put out an Instagram post where she declared she is not injured or suffering any illness. She then went on to wish the Super Falcons good luck in their campaign.
Excluding a forward with such statistics, 18 goal contributions in 28 appearances for Tenerife before her recent transfer to the United States, already netting goals in a new environment for the Washington Spirit is puzzling, if not negligent.
It’s like refusing water in a drought.
Already, other less proven forwards with poor records at their club sides were included, decisions that suggest a lack of coherent selection policy by the technical crew of the NFF, or worse, internal biases.
Some schools of thought may argue that a coach will only choose players he is comfortable working with or who may suit his tactical plans. While that is admissible, it raises a lot of questions on how damaging rifts like this can be.
The Falcons have history, talent, and expectation, but not with this headlong rush to WAFCON. Training camps build unity. Friendlies build confidence. Neither were prioritized.
With a single month to rewire tactics, restore fitness, and harmonize selection, the Falcons had to race the clock and are likely to come up short as other nations continue full-speed preparation.
Will Nigeria win the WAFCON? Possibly. But this year, their path is steep, muddy, and slippery, with poor prep, coaching ambiguity, and key omissions adding to the risk. In football as in life, failure to prepare is preparing to fail. For the Super Falcons, this is no proverb. It is the uncomfortable reality we now face.
