Nigeria coach Justin Madugu confident ahead of WAFCON 2024 quarterfinals

Nigeria women’s national team head coach Justin Madugu has expressed measured confidence in his team’s progress following their 0-0 draw with Algeria in their final group game at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) before a quarterfinal duel with Zambia.

Speaking after the match, Madugu emphasized the team’s commitment to winning every game, acknowledging that while the result was not as expected, valuable lessons were learned.

“Each time we play, the expectation is to win. That is the way it is meant to be. Today’s game is done and dusted. It has not gotten to the level we expect, but we will continue to work on areas where we noticed shortcomings.”

Madugu expressed concern about the team’s declining goal-scoring ability, a noticeable dip from their pre-tournament performance, while also defending his squad rotation strategy by emphasizing the value and capability of all players, whether starters or substitutes.

“Before this tournament, we were scoring goals. In this competition, goal scoring has become a challenge. The same players who were scoring are still here, so we have to address this issue quickly.

I don’t see them as a ‘Team B’. They are part of the squad and have contributed significantly. I’m impressed with many of them—they gave their best. Had we converted our chances, there would be more pressure in deciding who starts the next game.”

Looking ahead to the quarterfinal, Madugu emphasized the need for complete focus and readiness across all aspects of the team’s play.

“There are no rooms for errors now. We must be 100% mentally, psychologically, physically, and tactically ready. We’ve studied our potential opponents and will fine-tune our strategy. The quarterfinals demand our absolute best.”

Finishing as Group B leaders, Nigeria are now set to face Zambia’s Copper Queens in what promises to be a challenging quarter-final clash.