Madugu Cautions Super Falcons Against Complacency Ahead of Benin Clash
Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has warned his players not to take their foot off the gas as they prepare to face Benin Republic in the second leg of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier on Tuesday.
The nine-time African champions head into the return leg at the Moshood Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta with a comfortable 2–0 first-leg advantage, thanks to first-half goals from Chiwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo in Lomé last Friday.
However, Madugu is keeping his team grounded, insisting that complacency could be costly, especially against a determined Beninese side looking to cause an upset.
“We are looking forward to a tough game from the Beninoise, but we will be ready for that by putting up a good performance,” Madugu told thenff.com.
“The ultimate goal is qualification to the 2026 Women’s AFCON, where we hope to retain our title and further qualify for the World Cup in Brazil in 2027.”
The aggregate winner will book a place at the 2026 WAFCON finals in Morocco, scheduled for March 17 to April 3, 2026.
Opinion: Focus, Not Comfort, Will Define the Falcons’ Future
Coach Madugu’s cautionary tone is exactly what the Super Falcons need right now. A 2–0 first-leg win is a solid cushion, but in football — especially in African qualifiers — anything can happen. The Falcons have a history of dominance, but recent years have shown that smaller teams are catching up fast in women’s football.
This is not just about securing qualification; it’s about setting the tone for the next chapter of Nigerian women’s football. The Falcons remain Africa’s standard-bearers — a team with legacy, pride, and global recognition — but to keep that legacy intact, they must approach every fixture like a final.
The first leg showed flashes of what makes this team special: creativity, pace, and precision. What’s left now is consistency — the ability to dominate from start to finish and show that Nigeria’s reign in African women’s football is far from over.
As the Falcons return home to Abeokuta, the message is simple: stay hungry, stay humble, and finish the job.
