21-7-2025
Super Falcons are set for Tuesday’s Women African Cup of Nations semi-final against Bayana Bayana of South Africa and coach Justin Madugu believes his team will put up another spectacular showing.
Madugu though acknowledges that the defending champions are not to be underrated, the Super Falcons have the momentum in the tournament and will sustain it.
“They are a good team and they won all their matches to get to where they are so we are not taking them for granted, we respect them,” Madugu said.
“Based on their last game, we cannot judge them with that, football is very deceptive. they have played four games and each game comes with a change of approach.
“So we are not taking them as underdogs, they are the defending champions, they are favourites. But my summation is that they took the trophy from us and we are going to beat them, get to the final and take it back.”
Also speaking in the same vein striker Esther Okoronkwo added: “We go into every game with the same mentality and the same motive of winning regardless of the opponent in front of us.
“We are prepared for the game Tuesday , we are not looking at teams stats or whatever happened before; our focus is on what we are going to do.”
In 11 meetings Bayana Bayana have only beaten the Super Falcons three times. And that was when the Nigerian side was in transition. But now with an array of young players mixed with experienced older players in the team, Super Falcons only need to raise their game against the South Africans.
In the quarter-final the Super Falcons humbled Zambia a Copper Queens 5-0, while Bayana Bayana laboured to Penalty Shootout win over Senegal.
According to Bayana Bayana coach Desiree Elis, her team has been fatigued by that game, however, playing the Super Falcons is always fire for fire.